Uttar Pradesh: Attacked for delivering girls, woman loses foetus, a boy

BAREILLY: A 43-year-old labourer’s dream to father a baby boy was laid to rest forever with the death of male foetus inside her wife’s womb, which he had allegedly ripped open with a sickle on Saturday after being convinced that she was set to deliver another girl child, the sixth one. Doctors at Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital, who somehow managed to save Anita Devi’s life, told on Sunday that she may never be able to conceive now due to damages to the uterus.
The doctors there described the attack as a “devilish” act, the woman’s brother Ravi Singh told TOI.
While Anita was still in ICU, her husband Pannalal was on Sunday sent to jail after being produced before a court. He was booked for attempt to murder, and police in Budaun were in process of adding more sections after the death of the foetus. Their five children were with Anita’s relatives, staring at a bleak future.
On Saturday evening, Pannalal had come home drunk and again asked his wife to abort the foetus. A village priest had told him that the unborn child was a girl and Pannalal-- who had full faith in his words-- didn’t want a sixth girl. But Anita didn’t want to kill the unborn.
Another bout of argument followed and Pannalal, in a fit of rage, picked up a sickle lying in the house and attacked Anita with it, tearing apart her belly and exposing the insides. Neighbours had rushed to Anita’s help and she was taken to district hospital in Bareilly.
Ravi told TOI, “There was a moment when I had lost hope. But the doctors and supporting staff at Safdarjung hospital acted like angels and saved my sister’s life. Unfortunately, the child in her womb, who was actually a baby boy, couldn’t survive because of an injury to her uterus which caused infection. Doctors said that she may not be able to conceive further. She is currently admitted at the ICU but they will shift her to the general ward on Tuesday.
“Several people, including doctors, met me at the hospital after coming to know about the incident. And they said that it was a devil’s act.”
Station house officer (SHO) of Budaun’s Civil Lines police station Sudhakar Pandey said, “We will add the charges of foeticide after receiving the medical report of the woman and recording her statement. Pannalal has been sent to jail and he is yet to know that he actually killed his son. We will apply for his custody for further investigation.”