Two newborn girls abandoned in Raj, one dies
In a reflection of the dismal situation for the girl child in Rajasthan, two more newborns were today abandoned in the state, including in the capital, while authorities are investigating an alarming trend of babies being killed by denying them feed or treatment.
A baby, born premature, was found lying near the tracks by people after Agra-Ajmer train left the station and died in the hospital.
"Either she was dumped from the toilet of a coach or someone put the girl when the train was stationary," Prem Chand, a GRP personnel who is investigating the case, said.
"RPF men reached the spot and she was shifted to a child hospital. Since the train had already left the station by the time we reached there, it could not be confirmed whether she was dumped from inside the coach," he said.
"We are investigating the matter," he said. The girl was born some time before she was dumped. "She was put on ventilator support in the ICU ward but she could not survive and died in afternoon," Dr M L Gupta, who was taking care of the girl, said.
In another case, a newborn girl was abandoned in Pali district. "Hearing cries of the child in the morning, a man Kalu Lal went towards the bushes in industrial area and found the girl wrapped in cloths," police said.
"She was admitted to Pali's Bangar hospital where she is doing fine," they said, adding, that the parents could not be identified.
Meanwhile, an alarming trend of killing of girl child has emerged in Jaisalmer region which is notorious for female foeticide.
"Over the last few months, we investigated a few cases where newborn girls died due to lack of treatment and food or were poisoned to death," SP Jaisalmer Mamta Bishnoi told PTI.
"In two separate cases, fathers were found guilty of not providing medical treatment leading to the death of newborn girls whereas one case is under investigation," she said.
"Last year, a body of a girl was exhumed and postmortem was conducted. We received the report of a test in February this year which said that the girl died of poisoning.
"On the basis of the report, the police booked her father Banne Singh for murder and submitted challan in the local court," Bishnoi said. "However, he was acquitted by the court around two weeks ago but we are considering to challenge the verdict in upper court," she said.
The man is a resident of Deora village which is notorious for rampant female foeticide.
On Monday night, a young couple left a girl minutes after her birth in a government hospital's creche in Jaipur.
When a staffer questioned them about the girl, they refused to answer. Doctors on duty were informed.
"When they inquired about the baby, the couple said that if they have objection, they can discard the baby somewhere else and thereafter left the place leaving the girl in the creche," according to the hospital sources.
The incidents come despite the state government initiating efforts to save the girl child.
After Bollywood actor Aamir Khan requested Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to expedite cases related to female foeticide in May this year, fast track courts were set up.
The government also announced formulation of a girl child policy to deal the issues like sex determination, female foeticide.
