How a Bengaluru cop’s hunch saved a toddler from peril | Bengaluru News

Bengaluru: A routine evening patrol turned into a critical life-saving intervention Saturday when ASI Mallikarjun BG from Tilaknagar police rescued a two-year-old boy from a mentally unstable woman near Ragi Gudda in Jayanagar, South Bengaluru.The incident unfolded around 5:40pm when ASI Mallikarjun noticed a woman in her late 40s carrying a toddler. His instincts kicked in; he recognised her as the same individual who had recently caused uproar by tearing down a Dr BR Ambedkar banner — an act that had ignited protests until her mental instability was revealed. Concerned that the child might not rightly belong to her, ASI Mallikarjun approached her to question her intentions.

The woman responded aggressively, claiming that she had “saved the child from an accident” near a convention hall, insisting “God had given the child to her”. She demanded that the officer thank her rather than interrogate her. However, ASI Mallikarjun was unconvinced by her assertions and decided to intervene, successfully rescuing the toddler from her grasp. The situation quickly drew the attention of onlookers, many of whom began recording the unusual encounter as the woman evaded further questioning.Recognising the urgency of the situation, ASI Mallikarjun promptly shared the child’s photograph and a brief video in the South Division police WhatsApp group, alerting nearby police stations to the crisis. As the child became exhausted and eventually fell asleep, he took him to a nearby clinic to ensure the toddler’s well-being, even buying him food and a small doll to provide comfort during the distressing ordeal.Moments later, a breakthrough occurred. The police station received an urgent report from a frantic mother who had called 112, explaining that her son had gone missing from a convention hall on 2nd Main Road in JP Nagar 3rd Phase. The alert was quickly relayed to ASI Subhan Bhasha and head constable Manjunath BL, who were on patrol with the Hoysala team. They hastened to the scene and successfully reunited the child with his mother.Senior police officials later revealed that the mother, who worked for an event management firm, had brought her son to work with her due to childcare issues. Unfortunately, while she was occupied in greeting guests, the child wandered off and was carried away nearly 4km from the convention hall. When reunited, the mother, visibly relieved and emotional, embraced her child and repeatedly thanked the officers with folded hands.Police officials said the incident could have taken a tragic turn had it not been for ASI Mallikarjun’s sharp observation, quick thinking and compassionate response. A senior officer remarked, “What saved the child was the officer’s instinct that something was wrong.”