Motherhood died, but the baby lived!

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

A shocking case of cruelty surfaced in Pundliknagar on Thursday morning when a 24-year-old woman, separated from her husband, delivered a child alone at home and dumped it in roadside garbage within two hours of birth. To hide the delivery from her family, she cut the umbilical cord herself, stuffed the newborn in a sack and abandoned it.

The baby, however, survived three brushes with death. In the early morning cold, dogs twice tried to tear open the sack and even dragged it onto the road, where it slipped between the wheels of a bus. Still, the infant lived saved only by alert citizens.

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Citizen’s alertness saves child

Around 5.30 am, canal inspector in the irrigation department Bhagyash Pusdekar (28), returning from his village, heard cries from a garbage dump near Muthoot Finance office. Dogs were attacking a sack. He and morning walkers rushed, chased away the dogs and untied the sack only to find a blood-soaked newborn. An elderly woman brought a blanket, and the child was rushed first to a private hospital near Gajanan Maharaj Mandir, which refused treatment. The baby was then admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).

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Mother traced in 8 hours

Police inspector Ashok Bhandare, PSI Reshim Kolekar, and officer Arjun Raut reached the spot and examined CCTV footage, which showed a woman abandoning the sack at 3.30 am. A search team officers Arjun Raut, Sunil Mhaske,and constables launched a door-to-door inquiry. Based on clothes and slippers, they questioned more than 40 houses before identifying a pregnant woman living on rent nearby. She was taken into custody and confessed during interrogation. Police registered a case and arrested her.

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Background of the woman

The accused, a 24-year-old from Washim, is educated up to class 12. She had separated from her husband 18 months ago and was staying alone in Pundliknagar while working in a company. Police suspect the baby was born out of an illicit relationship. She admitted to delivering alone in her room. Police also seized documents showing she had purchased medicines on August 14.

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Baby’s miraculous survival

Before rescue, the sack had been dragged by dogs and ended up under a company bus. In the tussle, the infant suffered two deep dog-bite wounds on the chest but miraculously survived.

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Photos: CCTV footage, rescued infant, and the sack.