Police said the mother has been charged with child abandonment. (Representational)
The timely intervention of the Kerala police and medical professionals of a private nursing home on Tuesday saved the life of a newborn in Kerala after it was found abandoned by its mother in a bucket hours after the delivery, police said.
The incident was reported from Kotta, a village under the Aranmula police station limit in the Pathanamthitta district.
According to police, the incident came to light when the 34-year woman sought treatment for bleeding at the nursing home in Chengannur after delivering the baby at her rented home.
When the doctors of the nursing home questioned the patient, they came to know about the incident and informed the police.
The woman's nine-year old son informed the police that the newborn was kept in a bucket in the bathroom at their home. Acting quickly, the police rushed to the spot, rescued the newborn and shifted to the nursing home.
Visuals aired by TV channels showed the policeman of the Chengannur police station carrying the bucket, rushing to the road from the house located in the remotest area to take the child to the hospital in a jeep.
After providing initial treatment, the baby was shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam.
Congratulating the police and medical team that attended to the baby, State Health Minister Veena George said all efforts have been taken to save the life of the newborn.
The government also appointed a caregiver to provide better care to the baby currently being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Medical College hospital.
Ms George expressed hope that the baby will fight back and return to normal life.
Meanwhile, police have booked the woman under IPC Section 317 (Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years, by parent or person having care of it) and relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice Act.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)