A disturbing incident came to light from Jharkhand's Palamu district, where alert villagers intercepted a woman carrying a newborn baby inside a bag in a paddy field late at night. The woman was spotted near a local temple along with two female companions who managed to escape into the darkness. The presence of ritual items at the location sparked intense speculation regarding superstitious motives, though timely intervention by residents ensured that both the infant and the woman were rescued unharmed.
Suspicious Activity Near Temple During Night Hours
The incident unfolded around 9:30 pm on Friday near a Devi temple situated in Manhu under the Chhatarpur police station jurisdiction. Anju Devi, a 40-year-old resident of Madya Bhalhi, arrived at the paddy field adjoining the temple carrying the newborn infant in a bag. Two other women accompanied her to the isolated spot. Local residents noticed ritual items, including vermilion and bangles, placed on the ground. Some locals who were fishing in a nearby water channel noticed the movement and heard voices from the field, which prompted them to alert other villagers.
Two Accomplices Flee as Villagers Intervene
Seeing a group of villagers approaching the field, the two unidentified women accompanying Anju Devi fled the scene immediately. However, the villagers managed to detain Anju Devi before she could leave. Upon receiving word of the situation, local head representative Zaheer Ansari reached the spot promptly. Observing the vulnerability of the newborn, Ansari wrapped the baby in his own clothes to protect it from exposure. Both the mother and the infant were immediately transported to Chhatarpur Sub-Divisional Hospital, where medical staff admitted them for treatment and observation.
Family Unaware of Pregnancy and Delivery
A puzzling dimension of the case involves the woman's domestic background. According to family members, Anju Devi already has one daughter. Startlingly, none of her relatives claimed to have any knowledge about her recent pregnancy or the birth of the newborn baby. The sudden discovery of the woman with an infant in a field late at night left her household completely bewildered. When questioned at the medical facility about why she was present in the field at such an hour, the woman remained evasive and refused to provide any explanation.
Police Investigation Underway Regarding Motives
While villagers suspect that the infant might have been brought to the temple precincts for an occult ritual or human sacrifice, authorities have not officially confirmed these allegations. Police officials are conducting a detailed inquiry into every aspect of the incident. Law enforcement teams are searching for the two unidentified women who fled the scene. Investigators noted that only a comprehensive interrogation of the mother and the tracing of the absconding women will clarify the exact purpose behind carrying the infant to the field late at night.
