In a most shocking incident of gender bias in favour of male progeny, a father tried to get rid of his newborn girl child at the hospital while another one committed suicide fearing financial burden due to two daughters. Both the incidents occurred in two separate districts of Telangana state known for sale of girl children.
In Deverakonda of Nalgonda district, a father refused to take home his newborn daughter home, saying that he already had nine children out of which six of them are girls. Islavath Savitri and Islavath Raju of Motya Tanda (Tribal hamlet) were upset as their 10th child was a girl. “They were acting indifferent and mother refused to breastfeed the child who was crying with hunger. Even the grandmother Ramulamma refused to even touch the cute little one,” a nurse at the Community Hospital at Devarakonda.
Meanwhile, ICDS (Integrated Child Development Service) supervisor Venkatamma who was tipped off about the drama at the hospital reached the spot and warned the parents of the infant of stern action if they plan to sell the child or kill her. “We have credible information that the parents have already planned to sell the child and are acting accordingly. We told the father that any harm to the child will attract action under the prevention of Child trafficking law,” she said. However, Raju started fighting with the ICDS staff and said that he doesn’t care and is ready for any punishment. However, he agreed to take the girl home after police intervened.
Police also said that two more girl children in the Mosamgadda Tanda and Usmankunta in the same district have disappeared. The police said that the infants belonged to Sonia and Balu and Jatavath Jaya and Jatavath Bhadru respectively.
In yet another incident 26-year-old Guntapalli Mallesam of Kodapur in Sangareddy 40 km from here committed suicide after his wife gave birth to a girl child. He was blessed with a girl child two years ago and his wife gave birth to another girl a month ago. Sangareddy Asst Sub Inspector Mr Raju said that the deceased was depressed after the birth of the girl and said to have financial troubles forcing him to take the extreme step.
