Police are planning to crack down on private nursing homes running without proper registration. An announcement in this regard will follow soon, a senior police officer said.

The move comes a day after a doctor and compounder allegedly stole a newborn from a private nursing home near Patna. They were arrested.

Confirming the incident, a police officer at the Parsa Bazaar police station said that one Dharda Devi, who was expecting a baby, was admitted to the Jai Maata Di Nursing Home on May 5.

The police officer said: “She is from Sakreia village. Her father-in-law, Ramji Paswan, had admitted her to the nursing home. She delivered a baby boy last night.

“But early this morning, Paswan, a labourer, rushed to the police station to complain that the baby was missing. He lodged an FIR against the doctor, Manoj Singh, and compounder Sashi Kant Kumar.

“The police began investigating immediately and recovered the baby from behind some bushes 500 m from the nursing home.

The infant had been thrown there but, luckily, it was still alive. The doctor and compounder were arrested on the basis of the FIR lodged by the mother’s father-in-law.”

The police are investigating how the baby landed behind the bushes and the role of the accused duo in the case. The nursing home has been sealed for now.

“There are four-five nursing homes in the area and the police have contacted the local administration for running a check on them too,” the police officer said.

At present, people wanting to open a nursing home just need the labour resources department’s permission.

“The health department is not involved. The medical establishment bill has a provision to ensure that private nursing homes are registered with the government but it is still in the works,” said D.K. Raman, additional director of State Health Society, Bihar.

But even before the bill is passed, the police seem to be gearing up to crack down on illegal nursing homes that are mushrooming in the city.

“The police will check provisions of the law and take suitable action.

“It will find out the number of private nursing homes running in Patna and whether the health or labour department has records of the same. The entire drive will be carefully planned and the same will start soon,” a senior police officer said.