On the 72nd Independence Day a woman in Chennai saved a newborn baby from a drain, giving him the freedom of life. Early Wednesday morning the residents of Valasaravakkam in Chennai heard distant cries from a storm water drain.

The milkman who alerted the neighbors stated it could be a kitten. One of the residents Geeta decided to take a closer look. To her surprise it was a newborn baby with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck.

The woman immediately got down on her haunches to gently pull the baby out of the drain. Once the baby was out, she carefully removed the umbilical cord and cleaned the baby before taking it to a nearby hospital.

Geeta had a smile on her face as she said, “I am naming him Suthanthiram (freedom) since we found him on Independence Day. I am glad he got his freedom to live.”

The police investigating the abandoned baby reported, “A milkman alerted us following which we reached the spot immediately. Fortunately there was no water in the place where the infant was kept. The baby is fine. He is presently at the government children’s hospital, Egmore. We will send him to a children’s home later.”

The little baby boy was just abandoned to die in a drain even though Government hospitals in Tamil Nadu provide a cradle outside for unwanted babies. Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa launched this program to avoid this kind of abandonment.