Search on for baby after home claims COVID death

The news about the death of the child caused by COVID raised eyebrows among the health staff and they lodged a missing complaint with the Tallakulam police on Wednesday.

P Kumaraguruparan, Madurai City Health Officer, said posts on social media claiming the death of the child by COVID shocked the health fraternity. Hence, both Narimedu Medical Officer and Sanitary Inspector lodged complaints with the Tallakulam police against misusing of records, Kumaraguruparan said.

He further said that a team reached out to a cemetery in Thathaneri, where the child was alleged to have buried and enquired with cemetery personnel registrar. When the cemetery personnel denied such burial, the team verified the COVID case registry in Government Rajaji Hospital, but no such death was reported.

Investigations revealed that fake documents were used to claim that the child, after consulting doctors in the PHC at Narimedu, was referred to Madurai GRH for further treatment. However, there’s no such admission in the PHC and the GRH and moreover, there’s no reference about the child being COVID positive list in the hospital.

Police sources said the missing child could be alive as it’s seen as a case of illegal adoption.

Only when Sivakumar, Managing Director of the Home, and Matharsha, administrator-who are absconding, were nabbed, the missing child would be rescued. Two special teams are tracking the mystery behind the missing child, sources said. B Pandiaraja, Member, Child Welfare Committee, Madurai, said, the home named as ‘Idhayam Trust’ was not registered, but it has a total of 73 inmates, including 35 women. Social activist Azharuddin from Sethupatti near Keelavazhavu, Melur, a couple of months ago took Aishwarya along with her three children, including the missing boy, to accommodate them in the home.