Gujarat: Parents of abandoned infant detained in Pardi

Valsad police on Tuesday detained the biological parents of an infant, who was found abandoned in Febraury near a highway at Pardi taluka. The officials had carried out Covid-19 test and DNA test of both the accused. The infant is lodged at a children adoption home in Navsari.

On February 5, Pardi police station’s Retlav outpost police head constable received information about an infant found near the bridge on National Highway 48. The infant girl was admitted to Valsad Civil hospital.

The child was later shifted to Children Adoption centre at Khund village in Navsari district.

Police registered an offence against unidentified persons under IPC Section 317 and started a probe.

Four months later, Pardi police nabbed the child’s biological father, identified as Jatin Patel (22), a resident of Ambli village in Pardi taluka, on Monday. Jatin first denied his involvement in abandoning the infant girl, but later confessed to the crime, police said.

After collecting information from Jatin, police found the child’s mother, identified as Payal Halpati (22), a resident of Dumlav village in the same taluka.

Payal is a divorcee and was staying at her mother’s place, while Jatin is working in a private company at Pardi GIDC. Payal and Jatin were in relationship, which their parents opposed to, police said.

Police also questioned Payal’s father Champak Halpati, who had disclosed that she had given birth to a girl child on January 26 and abandoned her on February 5.

Pardi police Sub-Inspector S B Zala said, “Payal became pregnant and was taken to Valsad Civil hospital where she delivered a baby girl on January 26 and she was discharged on February 3. The couple stayed at the house of Jatin’s friend for two days and on the night of February 5, they abandoned the girl. Once we get Covid-19 report of both the accused, we will arrest them.”

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