- By Yashashvi Tak
- Wed, 03 Dec 2025 03:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A group of stray dogs guarded a newborn baby who had been left abandoned in Nabadwip, West Bengal, through an entire cold night. The infant was discovered in a railway workers’ colony in Nadia district. Residents said the baby had been placed on the ground outside a washroom with no cloth or note.
Locals later informed police that several stray dogs had formed a protective circle around the newborn and remained there until morning. “Waking up, we saw something that still gives us goosebumps,” said resident Sukla Mondal, one of the first to notice the baby. “The dogs were not aggressive. They looked alert, as if they understood the child was fighting to live.”
ALSO READ: Karnataka Govt Announces Rs 5 Lakh Aid For Fatal Dog-Bite Victims’ Families, Rs 5,000 For Injured
Another resident, Subhash Pal, recalled hearing a short cry at dawn. “I thought some family had a sick baby. I never imagined a newborn was lying outside with dogs watching over. They behaved like sentries,” he said. A resident eventually wrapped the baby in her dupatta and alerted neighbours. The infant was taken to Maheshganj Hospital and later shifted to Krishnanagar Sadar Hospital, where doctors confirmed there were no injuries and that the blood on the head was likely from birth.
Police have launched an investigation and suspect someone from the locality may have abandoned the child. Child welfare authorities have begun procedures for the newborn’s long-term care. Residents said they were astonished that the same stray dogs often shooed away by locals had protected the child until help arrived, with several people later feeding the animals in gratitude. Authorities are continuing inquiries to identify who left the newborn.
In a separate incident, a 41-year-old man has approached the Gujarat High Court seeking divorce on grounds of cruelty, alleging his wife repeatedly brought stray dogs into their home despite society rules prohibiting pets. He claims she demanded that he care for the animals, involved him in disputes linked to an animal rights group, and even orchestrated a prank call about an alleged affair, which he says harmed his reputation and health.
The man, who fled to Bengaluru, first sought divorce in 2017, but a family court rejected his plea in February 2024, ruling that cruelty was not proven and the prank call was not valid grounds for divorce. Now appealing in the High Court, he has offered Rs 15 lakh in alimony, while his wife has demanded Rs 2 crore. The court has scheduled the next hearing for December 1.