Shock and sorrow gripped residents of Northeast Delhi’s Shastri Park on Saturday after the body of a newborn baby was discovered abandoned in a garbage dump near a temple, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death.
The grim discovery was made late in the afternoon when passers-by noticed the body lying amid a pile of waste on the service road near Hanuman Mandir and immediately alerted the police. A police team rushed to the spot and found the newborn inside a garbage bin. The area was cordoned off, and crime scene experts along with forensic teams were called in to collect evidence and examine the surroundings.
The body was subsequently shifted to the mortuary at GTB Hospital, where it has been preserved for post-mortem and medico-legal examination. Investigators hope the findings will help determine the cause of death and whether the baby was abandoned before or after dying.
Officials said efforts are underway to establish the identity of the infant and trace those responsible for abandoning the child.
“The matter is being investigated from all possible angles. Necessary legal action has been initiated and further investigation is in progress,” a police officer stated.
The incident has sparked anguish among residents, many of whom expressed grief over the fate of the newborn. Child rights activists have long stressed the need for greater awareness about legal adoption mechanisms, safe surrender options and support systems for women facing crisis pregnancies to prevent such tragedies.
The police said further action will be taken based on the post-mortem findings and evidence collected during the investigation.
