Kendrapara: Police have begun a probe into the alleged baby-swap incident in the maternity ward of the district headquarters hospital here.

On Tuesday, 34-year-old Pravati Mohapatra of Betara village under Garadpur block, lodged a police complaint claiming that her baby was swapped. She alleged that though she had given birth to a boy, he was swapped for a female baby, said Kendrapara police station investigating officer Pragyan Rithumbara Kar. The police may also seek the court's intervention for a DNA test of the babies to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, said the officer.

According to the complaint, both the children were delivered through C-section and the childbirth occurred almost at the same time.

The complainant alleged that even her spouse was informed of the birth of male child.

Later he found a female baby lying beside the mother. Sources said another woman, Subhasmita Nayak who was admitted on the adjacent bed, delivered a baby girl around the same time. The complainant claimed that the nurses took the babies for a bath when they were allegedly swapped.

Following the complaint, the hospital's medical superintendent has been asked to conduct an inquiry.

"The likelihood of baby swapping, as is being alleged, is low. Only three deliveries were successfully performed on Tuesday. So, the possibility of human error on part of the nurses in misplacing the child does not arise," chief district medical officer Baishnab Charan Sahoo said.

The police have already recorded the statements of the doctor and nurses besides other medical staff members.

"Nothing conclusive has emerged so far to substantiate the veracity of the allegations. If required, we may take up the matter before the court for DNA test of both the babies," said the police officer.