Srinagar: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday directed the police to accelerate their efforts for the recovery of a 24-day-old baby girl who has been “forcibly separated” from her mother by the in-laws.
The court expressed anxiety at the situation and directed police to make more strenuous efforts to trace and recover the suckling baby girl.
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey said this while hearing a plea through counsel Areeb Javed Kawoosa filed by a Jammu-based woman, alleging that her 24-day-old baby girl had been forcibly taken away by her in-laws from Nishat here.
The judge directed the Superintendent of Police, East Zone, Srinagar, who was present in the court, to approach the Director General of Police/Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Range, if required, for making available such electronic and/or technical help as may be helpful in tracing out the location of the child and the hiding private respondents.
“This may include coordinating with the Cyber Crime Police in the process,” Justice Magrey said.
The court while applauding the effort of the police team supervised by the Superintendent of Police, East Zone, Srinagar, said that the endeavour should result in recovery of the child before anything untoward happens to her or is done with her, as suspected by the petitioner (mother).
On Tuesday the court had directed police to trace and recover the child. However, Additional Advocate General B A Dar submitted today before court that the child is yet to be recovered and informed the court that police are making efforts to trace her out.
The AAG submitted the police report indicating that searches were carried out at the houses of the in-laws and their relatives as well but the child along with her father and grandmother could not be traced.
The court while taking the report on record noted that the conduct of the private respondents is only aggravating the excesses allegedly committed by them vis-à-vis the child and the petitioner and, in fact, lends support to what the petitioner has averred in the petition about the treatment meted out to her and her child by the private respondents.
“Their conduct axiomatically has been instrumental in prolonging the suffering of the child and agony of the petitioner. Nonetheless, the court is not powerless. The conduct of the private respondents is also likely to bring others into the dragnet of abetment of the crime,” Justice Magrey said.
He also remarked that at this stage, the mother of the infant, present in the court, has stated and reiterated that the female baby has been taken from her only to kill her. She has also stated to have already submitted a complaint before the police in this regard.
“If so, the police shall take due action in accordance with law on the complaint so made by the petitioner,” Justice Magrey said.
Meantime, the court extended the implementation of its order dated 31 August and listed the case again on 3 September.
The police were directed to take appropriate measures for the safety of the petitioner (mother) lest any harm be caused to her.

NUSRAT SIDIQ