Newborn abandoned in Mumbai hospital bathroom; police hunt for mother
Synopsis
A newborn boy left crying on a hospital bathroom floor in Mumbai was rescued only because a bystander happened to hear him. With no delivery record in the hospital's registers, police suspect the mother gave birth in the bathroom and fled — and are now combing CCTV footage to find her.
Key Takeaways
A newborn male infant was found abandoned on the bathroom floor outside Ward No.
40 at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar, Mumbai on the night of 25 May 2025 .
The infant was discovered by Police Constable Jitendra Vishnu Patil after bystander Vishnu Shriram Patel raised the alarm at around 9 pm .
The child was shifted to the NICU and is currently in stable condition following timely medical intervention.
Hospital records show no registered delivery during the relevant period, leading police to suspect the woman gave birth in the bathroom and fled.
Tilak Nagar Police have registered a case and are examining CCTV footage to identify and trace the unidentified woman.
A newborn male infant was found abandoned on the floor of a hospital bathroom at Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, on the night of 25 May 2025, after his cries alerted a bystander who immediately notified police on duty. The child was rescued in time and is currently stable in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The Tilak Nagar Police have registered a case and launched a search for the unidentified woman believed to have abandoned the infant.
How the Infant Was Found
Police Constable Jitendra Vishnu Patil, posted at Tilak Nagar Police Station and on duty in the casualty department that night, was approached at around 9 pm by a young man identified as Vishnu Shriram Patel. Patel reported hearing a newborn crying continuously inside the bathroom outside Ward No. 40. Constable Patil rushed to the spot immediately and found the infant lying on the cold bathroom floor, unattended and distressed.
Rescue and Medical Intervention
Hospital nursing staff were called to the scene without delay. Working alongside Constable Patil and Patel, the nurses cleaned the infant and transferred him to the NICU. Doctors confirmed that the timely intervention saved the child's life. The infant's condition is currently reported as stable.
What Investigators Found
Preliminary investigations revealed no official record in the hospital's delivery registers indicating that any woman underwent a delivery procedure at the facility during that period. Based on this, investigators suspect that an unidentified woman gave birth inside the bathroom, abandoned the newborn, and quietly left the premises. CCTV footage from multiple locations across the hospital is being reviewed to identify and trace the woman. A case has been registered against the unidentified woman and the investigation is ongoing.
Wider Context
Incidents of newborn abandonment in public spaces and medical facilities are not uncommon across Indian cities, often linked to social stigma, economic distress, or fear of unmarried pregnancy. India's Cradle Baby Scheme and similar state-level initiatives provide legal, anonymous surrender options at designated centres — though awareness of such provisions remains uneven. This case underscores the gap between available support systems and their reach in urban settings.
Current Status
The infant remains under medical supervision at Rajawadi Hospital and is said to be safe. Police teams are continuing their search for the woman, with CCTV analysis expected to be a key lead. Authorities have not yet made any arrest in the case.
Point of View
Which raises serious questions about the accessibility of non-judgmental support within the facility itself. India has legal surrender frameworks, but this case suggests they are either unknown to or unreachable by women in crisis at the moment they need them most. Urban hospitals, particularly in high-footfall public facilities like Rajawadi, may need visible, stigma-free intervention pathways rather than relying on post-incident CCTV hunts. The infant survived by chance; the systemic failure that preceded his abandonment deserves equal scrutiny.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the newborn found abandoned in Mumbai?
The newborn was found on the floor of a bathroom outside Ward No. 40 at Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, on the night of 25 May 2025. His continuous crying alerted a bystander, who informed police on duty at the hospital.
What is the current condition of the abandoned infant?
The infant, a male newborn, is currently stable and under medical supervision in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Rajawadi Hospital. Doctors confirmed his life was saved due to timely intervention by police and nursing staff.
Has the mother been identified or arrested?
No. The Tilak Nagar Police have registered a case against an unidentified woman and are examining CCTV footage from across the hospital premises to trace her. No arrest has been made as of the latest reports.
What do police suspect happened at the hospital?
Investigators suspect the unidentified woman gave birth to the child inside the hospital bathroom, abandoned him there, and left the premises quietly. Hospital delivery registers show no record of any woman undergoing a delivery procedure during the relevant period.
Who first alerted police about the abandoned baby?
A young man identified as Vishnu Shriram Patel approached Police Constable Jitendra Vishnu Patil, who was on duty in the casualty department, at around 9 pm and reported hearing a newborn crying inside the bathroom outside Ward No. 40.
