Lucknow, Aug 17 (IANS): A premature baby, found abandoned at Kudiya Ghat river front in Lucknow, was rescued by a gardener.

The man, identified as Waris, gave the child to his sister and informed ChildLine officials about it.

A ChildLine took the infant to the nearest private hospital, from where the baby was referred to Ram Prakash Gupta Mother and Child State Referral Hospital (RPGMCSRH) near Shaheed Path.

Head of the paediatric department at the hospital, Dr Dipti Agarwal, said: “The infant is currently on non-invasive ventilation. Since it is the case of premature birth, the infant has lower than normal weight around 900 grams.”

Meanwhile, ChildLine Lucknow unit coordinator Sangeeta Sharma alleged that the RPGMCSRH staff initially refused to admit the baby as they were concerned about who would be clearing the medical bills.

District probation officer Vikas Singh, meanwhile, said all medical expenses of the infant would be borne by the district administration.