ABBOTTABAD: The police recovered a baby boy, who was abducted from the Women and Children Hospital here, and arrested four suspects on Wednesday.

District police officer Haroon Rasheed told a crowded press conference that a team led by SP Cantonment Ali Hamza Butt recovered the 17-day-old baby and arrested four suspects.

He said Siraj, a resident of Jhangi Syedan, had lodged a complaint with the cantonment police on June 23, stating that an unidentified woman had allegedly abducted the infant from the hospital’s nursery.

The police had registered a case under Section 363 of the Pakistan Penal Code and launched an immediate investigation.

DPO Rasheed said that the police investigators examined CCTV footage, hospital duty records, and other evidence to trace the suspects. “The investigation revealed that the principal accused, identified as Ayesha Bibi, allegedly took the newborn from the hospital and later went to Ayub Medical Complex, where she allegedly changed her appearance to avoid detection.

According to investigators, the woman then concealed the baby in a bed sheet and contacted her husband, Fayyaz Ahmed, along with other accomplices. The suspects arrived in a vehicle and transported the newborn to their residence in Gali Banian, Kathwal.

The DPO said using modern investigative techniques, continuous surveillance, and analysis of CCTV footage, police successfully traced the accused, and conducted a raid in Gali Banian, recovered the infant and arrested the suspects.

The police arrested the main accused, her husband, Hazala Bibi and Wahab Ali. All the accused are residents of Gali Banian.

The police also seized the vehicle, which was allegedly used in the commission of the crime.

After completing the necessary legal formalities, the recovered child was reunited with his parents. Police said further investigations are underway to determine the motives behind the kidnapping and to identify any additional individuals involved in the case.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2026