Bengaluru, Nov 27 (IANS): Karnataka Police reunited a one-day-old male baby with his mother in the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Karnataka's Kalaburagi after arresting three child lifters.

According to police, the accused women, posing as nurses, had taken the child from his mother in the hospital on the pretext of conducting a blood test and sold him for Rs 50,000 on Tuesday.

The accused were identified as Umera, Nasreen and Fathima.

The rescued baby was under treatment at the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at the GIMS.

The accused had sold the baby to one woman Khairun aka Khairunnisa.

The incident had created concern and panic as the accused dressed as nurses had kidnapped the baby.

Considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the issue, State Medical Education and Skill Development Minister Sharan Prakash Patil visited the grieving mother at the hospital and instructed the police to crack the case and reunite the child with the mother.

After getting information about the crime, police swung into action and gathered information about the newborn child being with Khairunnisa in MSK Mill Layout in Kalaburagi.

The police raided the house and rescued the child. Later, the child was handed over to his mother Kasturi at the hospital.

Khairun, who "purchased" the baby, has escaped and police have launched a hunt for her.

Police Commissioner Sharanappa S. D. lauded the efforts of the team led by ACP Bhootegowda, Circle Inspectors Somaling Kiradalli and Raghavendra Bhajanthri.

Kasturi, hailing from Ravura village of Chittapur taluk, had given birth to the baby in the early hours of Monday.

After the police reunited the baby with his parents, they expressed happiness and thanked them and Minister Patil.