Man Finds Newborn in Wooden Box by Ganges River in India

A boatman in India has rescued a 21-day-old girl abandoned in a wooden box along the banks of the Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh, according to The Guardian.

Gula Chaudhary reported that the child, discovered near the town of Gazipur, was wrapped in a red cloth, and the box contained a note reading 'Daughter of the Ganges.'

The local authorities rewarded the boatman for his role in saving the newborn with a boat, as reported by the publication.

Chaudhary expressed his desire to raise the girl, whom he sees as a 'gift from the holy river.' He stated, 'Mother Ganges has bestowed this child to me.'

According to UNICEF, there are nearly 30 million orphans and abandoned children in India, the overwhelming majority of whom are girls.