A 43-year-old Indian man, has cut open the belly of his four-month pregnant wife after being told by a priest that she was expecting another girl child, the sixth in a row.
Pannalal attacked his wife, Anita Devi, on Saturday night at their home in UP’s Budaun district, leaving her in a pool of blood.
Anita’s family told investigators that Pannalal attacked and cut open her stomach to “know the gender” of the child. An FIR was registered and Pannalal booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder) and other sections of the IPC.
Though the baby in the womb was unhurt, Anita’s condition deteriorated due to severe damage to her insides and excessive bleeding. As her condition worsened at the district hospital in Bareilly, her brother, Ravi Kumar Singh, took her to a private hospital. But she could not be admitted as authorities there asked him to deposit Rs 4lakh to start the treatment.
It was then that Anita’s family rushed her to Delhi’s Safdarjung hospital, where doctors were operating on her on Sunday evening to save her life and that of the unborn child.
According to police, convinced by the words of a village priest that Anita was expecting another girl child, Pannalal was forcing her to abort it. He wanted a son.
But Anita was adamant on keeping the child. Anita’s brother said, “My brother-in-law often used to beat my sister for giving birth to five daughters. Our parents had intervened on several occasions. But no one imagined that he would take such a cruel step.
“When I reached there, I saw blood everywhere. Anita’s stomach was slit, and she told me that her husband did this. I took her to the hospital with the support of the police. Fortunately she has been admitted at Safdarjung hospital and doctors here are supportive.”
Additional superintendent of police (city) Praveen Singh Chauhan said, “Pannalal has been arrested. He has been booked under section 307 (attempt to murder).
SHO of Civil Lines police station Sudhakar Pandey told TOI, “The woman’s family has alleged that Pannalal took this step to know the gender of the foetus. We are still investigating the reason. Pannalal has been sent to jail.”
