A newborn was reported missing from the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital here on Thursday, along with an unidentified woman who had come forward to help the infant's mother during her admission to the facility.

Sources said Ranjita Singh, who is 24 years old and from Kharibari in Darjeeling district, had delivered a boy at the local rural hospital three days back.

"After the delivery, she was suffering from postpartum haemorrhage and was referred to the NBMCH yesterday (Wednesday),” said a source.

Located on the outskirts of Siliguri, the NBMCH is the largest state-run referral hospital in north Bengal.

An unidentified woman apparently helped Ranjita when she was being admitted to the gynaecology and obstetrics department at the NBMCH. On Thursday, the newborn went missing and the woman was not found either.

“The incident happened during visiting hours. A committee has been formed to probe the matter. We will examine the CCTV cameras,” said Sanjay Mallick, the superintendent of the NBMCH.

The CCTV cameras in the department were defunct at that time, said the sources.

Police are in search of the woman, said the sources.