Motihari, May 18: Police today recovered the baby stolen from Motihari sadar hospital on Monday. Five persons were arrested in connection with the crime.

The success of the Motihari police earned them praise from the department as well as the residents who had earlier ransacked the hospital protesting against the police and doctors’ negligence towards the child’s safety.

The baby boy, first child of Sunita Devi and Heera Sah of Nimuiya village under Bankat block, was stolen in small hours on Monday.

The police received a tip-off about the people involved in the crime and raided a house in the neighbouring Rupdih village this morning. The infant was recovered safely from the house while five persons — sisters Fatima Khatoon, Asma Khatoon, their father Sher Mohammad (65) and his two sons Mumtaz and Ahmad — were arrested from the spot.

Sunita Devi and her relatives identified the baby at the police station, said town inspector-cum-station house officer Anant Kumar Singh.

Gahaniya Devi, an aunt of the baby, identified Asma Khatoon as the woman present in the hospital in a nurse’s uniform. Gahaniya said she handed over the baby to Asma assuming she was a nurse, as she had to go to the bathroom. When Gahaniya came back, she could spot neither the baby, nor Asma.

Deputy superintendent of Motihari sadar hospital Dr S.N. Singh said the infant was medically fit and would be handed over to his parents in the evening. He praised the police for promptly recovering the boy and saving the hospital employees from public humiliation.