Chandigarh: Abandoned as infant, Swiss woman in city to find biological parents

“I am curious to know about my past. The curiosity to know about my parents, my siblings who brought me to India. I want to know why I was left in such a condition outside the filing station..” Priya, who arrived earlier this week with a friend from Switzerland, told Chandigarh Newsline.

The photograph shows burn marks all over the infant’s body. An interior designer by profession, Priya showed the scars on her arms which she still has.

Claiming that she came to India to know her roots, Priya, whose first language is French, but manages to speak broken English, said, “ All my life, I have faced questions from people about the burn injuries and whether I am an Indian. I never had an answer to those questions so I decided to come here to find the answers.”

In her quest, she along with a friend visited the petrol pump Saturday morning. “We met some people at the station, but they said they don’t have any information,” said Thais, the friend who accompanied Priya.

Nihar Mahinder Singh, who owns the petrol pump told Chandigarh Newsline that he does not recollect a baby being abandoned on his premises. “ The incident happened 21 years ago. Our employees and the manager who were working then too have left the job.” he said. In a bid to help her, he referred Priya to the Sector 4 police station to find out if they had any information.

But visiting the police station didn’t help as the cops claimed that they do not have records dating 20 years back. She was then referred to the Mother Teresa Home in Sector-23, and a lady constable was asked to accompany the duo.

“They visited the police station in the morning. We provided all kind of help to them,” said Station House Officer(SHO) Sector 3 police station Inspector Neeraj Sarna to Chandigarh Newsline.

However, their visit to the orphanage too proved futile. “We visited the orphanage where the sisters told us that they don’t have the records,” said Priya.

Still positive about finding her roots, both are now planning to visit New Delhi. There are two Mother Teresa orphanages in Delhi, one at Jangpura and another at Civil Lines. “I am hopeful that I will take something back with me. If not this time, I will return again,” Priya said.