Four, including doctor, arrested for kidnapping, selling newborn baby

News Network

December 1, 2020

Chikkamagaluru, Dec 1: Police have arrested four people, including a government doctor, on charges of exploiting an unmarried woman and forcibly taking away her newborn baby at Koppa in the District.

Police said the accused allegedly sold the baby to a couple for Rs 50,000. The incident came to light on Monday, when the Administrative Medical Officer of MSDM Public Hospital of Koppa filed a complaint with Koppa police.

The police have registered the case against Dr GS Balakrishna, Nurses A Reshma and Shobha and Premalatha, a resident of Sringeri, who allegedly took the baby.

The unmarried woman, a native of Thirthahalli in Shivamogga district, gave birth in a hospital on March 14.

Exploiting her situation, the Doctor and the staff allegedly forced her to leave the baby with them. The staff did not enter details of the delivery in hospital records.

Later, the staff handed over the baby to Premalatha, forging the documents including the birth certificate to show that she was the mother of the baby. Premalatha allegedly paid Rs 50,000 to the staff members, besides Rs 5,000 to the mother.

The woman who had been separated from her baby went into depression. During her stay in a non-governmental organisation in Shivamogga. She reportedly narrated the incident to the staff, who informed the officers of the Women and Child Development Department.

Based on the information received from the Child Welfare Committee and Child Protection Officer, BS Ganavi, Administrative Medical Officer of Koppa Hospital, filed the complaint.

The case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC for exploitation, forgery, and criminal intimidation, besides the provisions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The police have taken up the investigation.

The baby is in the custody of the Child Welfare Committee in Chikkamagaluru.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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