A newborn baby was found abandoned near Forum Mall in Maradu, Kochi, on Sunday. According to Maradu police, the baby appeared to be only a few hours old. A passerby heard the infant crying near an eatery next to the mall around 1 am and alerted the police.

Police reached the spot and shifted the baby to the Ernakulam General Hospital. Doctors are monitoring the newborn’s health. A case will be registered and a report will be submitted to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), police told Onmanorama.

Mithun, who spotted the newborn, told the media that he was returning after spending time in Ernakulam and stopped near the eatery where he usually has tea. Finding it closed, he turned to leave when he heard the baby crying.

“I was in shock when I saw the baby wrapped in a cloth. Even the umbilical cord was still attached. The area was very dark and there were stray dogs around. I immediately called the police control room and alerted the officials. They reached the spot within half an hour. As an ambulance was not available, the police themselves took the baby to the hospital,” he said.

Officers are examining CCTV footage from the area and speaking to local residents and shopkeepers as part of further investigation.