lucknow

Updated: Mar 12, 2019 08:39 IST

A 26-year-old unmarried full-term pregnant woman attempted self-delivery at her rented accommodation here while watching a child delivery video on YouTube. Both, the woman and her child, a boy, died in the process, police said on Monday.

The incident took place in the city’s Bilandpur area, under Cantonment police station, on Sunday night, station house officer (SHO), Cantonment, Ravi Rai said and added that the possible reason behind her self-delivery attempt was “fear of social stigma attached to being an unmarried mother.”

Rai said the matter came to light when the deceased’s neighbours informed her landlord about blood flowing out of her room on Monday morning.

“Her landlord Ravi Upadhyay broke open the door and found the woman and a newborn baby boy lying dead. He immediately informed the police, who reached the site and sent the body for post-mortem. Her smart phone revealed that she was watching ‘how to deliver baby by self’ and other similar safe delivery processes on YouTube,” Rai said.

A scissors, a blade and some thread was found near the woman’s body, said the SHO.

He said the woman, native of Bahraich, had taken the accommodation on rent just four days back. Her relatives were informed about the incident, who confirmed that she was unmarried, he said.

Her landlord said: “The woman approached me just four days back and told me that her mother would be coming soon to assist her in delivery in hospital. After verifying her details through Aadhaar card, I rented the room to her.”

Rai, however, couldn’t confirm the exact reason why she had rented the accommodation in Gorakhpur as her family members were tightlipped over the issue.

“Prima facie it appeared that she tried to give birth by watching YouTube. After post-mortem her body was handed over to family members who have refused to lodge FIR against anybody,” Rai said.