Samaritan UP cop donates blood, saves Bihar newborn

VARANASI: A baby boy born in Rohtas, Bihar, with low haemoglobin level and in urgent need of blood found his lifeline in a young policeman in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
Chetganj thana constable Rakesh Saroj (25) donated a unit of his B+ blood so that the ailing nine-day-old could receive a replacement unit from the IMA blood bank in Varanasi in an act of selfless service that mirrors the humane face of the police force that often makes headlines for all the wrong reasons.
The good Samaritan cop was greeted with a bouquet by his senior officers and also earned a day’s special leave. His name has also been recommended to the SSP for Best Constable of the Month title.
Md Ashraf Hussain, the father of the baby and a native of Rohtas district in Bihar, said his wife delivered a boy at a local government hospital on June 9. However, when the baby’s condition deteriorated, they were referred to a private facility in Mahmoorganj, Varanasi. When Ashraf brought his son here on Tuesday, doctors said the baby needed immediate blood transfusion.
The doting father rushed to the IMA blood bank, near Chetganj thana, past midnight but the staff refused to take Ashraf’s blood because he had recently had an eye surgery. The distraught man broke down outside the IMA building and that is when he met Rakesh.
When the constable — a native of Azamgarh who joined the force only last year — heard about Ashraf’s dilemma, he straight away offered to help.
“The policeman went to the blood bank and donated a unit so that my son could live. I got a unit of B+ blood and rushed back to the hospital, where transfusion was successfully done. My son is doing well now. I will be forever grateful to the policeman,” Ashraf told reporters.
As the news about what Rakesh did became public, Chetganj circle officer Ankita Singh called him to her office and felicitated him. She sanctioned his leave and forwarded the recommendation to SSP Anand Kulkarni.