Activist Tara Kerkar arrested for kidnapping month-old baby

Vasco: Former chairperson of Mormugao municipal council (MMC) Tara Kerkar, (56), who runs a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and is a resident of New-Vaddem in Vasco, was placed under arrest by the Vasco police on Sunday on the charges of handing over a month-old baby boy from the legal guardianship of his mother to another woman.

According to police, a complaint in this regard has been lodged by the baby’s mother, aged 40, stating that the accused Kerkar took her and her baby to her (Kerkar’s) house on February 28 between 4 pm and 4.30 pm on the pretext of providing shelter to them and wrongfully restrained them in the house.

The complainant has further stated that Kerkar took away the baby from her and handed him over to an unknown person. It also states that Kerkar threatened the complainant with dire consequences if she reported the matter to anyone.

During investigation, the Vasco police traced the month-old baby and rescued him from the possession of one Fatima Dourado (47), a resident of Chicalim, to whom Kerkar had handed over the child.

In this connection, the police have arrested Kerkar and Dourado under sections 341, 363, 506 read with 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 8 of the Goa Children’s Act for kidnapping the infant.

After obtaining an order from the Child Welfare Committee, the police have kept the child in the custody of an orphanage ‘Matruchaya’ in Ponda.

Both the accused women will be produced before the court on Monday in order to obtain remand.

Police sub-inspector Sarvesh Sawant is further investigating into the case under the supervision of police inspector Nilesh Rane.