KOTTARAKKARA: The Kerala High Court observed that the lapse on the part of the police in finding the accused responsible for abandoning newborn babies near the Bethany Kurishadi in Valakom was serious.

The first newborn baby was found abandoned on December 7, 2018. Although the matter led to a lot of discussions, the police were not able to find those who abandoned the baby. In 2022, another baby was found abandoned at the same spot. Following this, the church authorities installed a CCTV camera near the Kurishadi. Yet, another baby was found abandoned at the spot on January 17. Upon examining the CCTV footage, the locals and church authorities found that the baby was abandoned by a middle-aged man who came on a scooter at around 2 am.

Locals are saying that the police were unable to find the accused despite receiving the evidence. Valakom native Alex Mampuzha, a social activist, lodged a complaint with the higher police officers. He later approached the High Court as the investigation officials failed to create a breakthrough in the case. In his complaint, he alleged that there was some mafia group behind this abandonment of infants.

Alex Mampuzha filed the public interest litigation with the state police chief, district police chief and Ummannoor grama panchayat secretary as the opposite party. The court tasked the opposing parties to decide matters, including the appointment of a Special Investigation Team to investigate the case.