A 25-day-old baby allegedly abducted in Ambernath was rescued within four hours and reunited with the parents after police traced one of the accused to Ambernath railway station, authorities said. Five people, including four women, have been arrested in connection with the case, while investigators are probing an alleged plan to take the infant to Gujarat for sale.
The incident occurred around 7 pm on October 10 near the Ganpati temple in Swaminagar, Ambernath West. According to police, a woman identified as Parvati Nagarajan forcibly took the child and handed the infant to Ganesh Soni. The baby’s father, Santosh Ashok Wage, approached Ambernath police on October 11 after learning that the child may be taken elsewhere.
Police formed a team after receiving the complaint and began tracing the people allegedly involved. During the investigation, officers learned that Soni and members of his family had handed the baby to Ruksaar Shaikh, 32, who lives in Mumbai’s Indiranagar area in Dharavi, police said.
Investigators obtained Shaikh’s mobile phone number and used technical analysis to track her movements. A police team located her while she was travelling by local train and apprehended her at Ambernath railway station. The infant was rescued safely and later reunited with the parents, according to the police.
Senior police inspector Sabbir Sayyed of Ambernath police station said Shaikh told investigators that she intended to hand the baby to her sister in Gujarat. “Ruksaar Shaikh told during probe that she wanted to give the baby to her sister in Gujarat. However, before she could do so, we rescued the child safely and reunited the baby with the parents,” Sayyed said.
Police are now investigating the suspected Gujarat connection and attempting to establish the role of the woman who was allegedly expected to receive the child. Officers are also verifying the backgrounds of the arrested people and examining whether they may have been involved in similar offences previously.
A case has been registered at Ambernath police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 137(2), 143(2) and 143(4), as well as Section 81 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, according to a police press note. Sayyed appealed to residents to remain vigilant and avoid entrusting young children to unfamiliar people. The investigation into the alleged inter-state handover and the role of the suspected recipient in Gujarat is continuing.
