Pregnant woman dies after being assaulted, force-fed abortion pills by husband in Rajasthan

Jaipur: A 41-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly beaten and forcibly administered abortion pills by her husband in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district, leading to her death, police said on Saturday.

An official -- part of the medical team that conducted the post-mortem -- described the condition of the body as "shocking", with more than a dozen injury marks on the head, face, waist and private parts indicating "sustained violence". There were also signs of forced abortion, he said.

The incident took place in the BSL Colony area under Hamirgarh police station limits on Wednesday night, where the accused, Gopi Singh Yadav, allegedly assaulted his five-month pregnant wife Roli Devi.

According to police, the woman sustained severe injuries during the assault, leading to a miscarriage and excessive bleeding, which ultimately caused her death.

The couple's 14-year-old daughter, in her statement to police, alleged that her father began beating her mother in the morning and continued intermittently throughout the day.

She further alleged that the accused man went to the market during the day, brought abortion pills and forcibly administered them to the victim, worsening her condition.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Sadar) Harjeeram said a case has been registered based on the daughter's statement and the accused husband, a native of Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested.

Preliminary investigation suggests that a domestic dispute between the couple may have led to the incident, he said.

The couple has four children, all of whom were reportedly present in the house at the time of the incident. Further investigation is under way, police said.

The medical board that conducted the post-mortem of the deceased described the case as brutal. Medical jurist Dr Chetan Kumar said the body bore more than a dozen injury marks on the head, face, waist and private parts, indicating severe physical assault.

"The condition of the body was shocking. Though there were no fractures, multiple injuries clearly pointed to sustained violence. There were also signs of forced abortion," he said.

Officials at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital said the woman was brought in a critical condition with heavy blood loss, and despite efforts, she could not be saved.

Police said the victim's relatives from Uttar Pradesh arrived in Bhilwara following the incident, after which the post-mortem was conducted and the body handed over to the family.