We often relate South Delhi with plush homes, parties, lavish Punjabi weddings, and discotheques. But this is not the reality, it seems. The posh brightness of South Delhi is hiding a deep dark secret within.
As per a shocking study conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), 238 foetuses and newborns were abandoned in the area between 1996-2012 and they point towards female foeticide in the national capital.
Shocking revelations made by the study
The study that has come as a rude shock to the National Capital suggests:
- Nearly 35 percent of the cases in these 17 years were stillborn
- Nearly 29 percent were born alive and;
- Nearly 36 percent were born before the period of viability
- Of the total number of cases, males were 115 (48 percent), but on closer investigation it was found that "females out-numbered males" (110) among the foetuses five month (20 weeks) of gestational age
"Among the live born, death by homicide was more common than a natural death and most were left by the roadside," it states. The study also listed how barbarically the live foetuses were killed.
Barbaric Delhi!
The autopsy records that were published in the story show:
- Out of 70 newborns found abandoned in the area, 54 had been murdered
- Around 45 of them had suffered injury on the head by a blunt force
- 5 were smothered to death
- 3 had been strangulated
- One newborn died after its throat was slit, indicating a particularly cruel attitude.
- Other causes of death included natural or accidental like pneumonia, congenital diseases, accidental suffocation and even hypothermia
Talking about the horrific nature of these killings, Dr C Behera, one of the co-authors, told PTI, "Though, we analysed autopsy reports of such cases in our own jurisdiction area, similar cases have also been reported in other areas, though we do not have any definitive study on that. But I can tell you that 238 foetuses and newborns abandoned is only the tip of the iceberg for Delhi."
"Bodies were also recovered from dustbins, parks, jungles, railway stations, bus stands, religious places, schools and hospitals. The place of recovery could not be ascertained in 24 cases," he said.
Why are Delhiites killing their daughters?
Dr Behera, explained that owing to the societal bias in favour of a male could have led to this selective female foeticide, that happened during this 17-year period.
He also added, "In India, medical abortion is allowed only up to 20 weeks of gestational age and criminal abortions and selective female foeticide subsequent to antenatal sex determination are more likely before 20 weeks of pregnancy."
During this 17-year study, the apex institute studied the South Delhi area due their jurisdiction. In fact, it is also the first study from India to discuss all forensically-known cases of abandoned foetuses and newborns from the South Delhi region, claims the study that was published in the latest issue of Medico-Legal Journal of the UK.
However, since the study is dated, Dr Behera states that a new study on the same subject will be issued soon.
"We are thinking of conducting a study for data available from 2013 onwards on the same subject. During the previous study, our jurisdiction area involved only South Delhi but now it also includes South-East Delhi," he said.
Now it remains to be seen what other such studies reveal about the basic intent of Indian towards their unborn daughters.
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