This region was once notorious for female foeticide and infanticide

BHOPAL: In nothing less than a miracle, an infant delivered inside toilet was rescued from the sewage tank after two hours.

This incident was reported from Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday where a woman ‘unconsciously’ delivered the baby into the lavatory bowl.

Since this region was once notorious for female foeticide and infanticide, police are now investigating whether the baby was flushed down the toilet being a girl, or it just happened.

Woman was identified as Papita Gurjar, 28, resident of Sheopur’s Bangrod village – around 165 km from the district headquarters.

When she came out of the toilet and complained of abdominal pain, husband Ghanshyam Gurjar took her to Vijaypur community health centre (CHC) believing she went into labour, her family members told doctors.

She was a full term gravid and had been visiting the CHC for a regular check-up. Doctors at CHC who took her inside the operation theatre were surprised to find her empty.

When they inquired, family members said she had a severe pain in her abdomen after coming out of the toilet. "She might have delivered the baby inside the toilet," husband said.

“We too had a suspicion that she must have delivered the baby in toilet. I immediately dispatched ambulance to their house,” said Dr Ashok Khare, medical officer of Vijaypur CHC.

When ambulance driver went inside the toilet he heard baby crying. He then went behind and opened the sewage tank and rescued the baby. She was alive but in a gasping condition, said the doctor.

“The infant was brought to hospital and admitted to neonatal ICU. She is stable now,” said Dr Khare, adding, it’s a miracle that the baby survived there for around two hours.

Who cut the umbilical cord after the baby was delivered in the toilet? - This question bothered doctors who subsequently informed the police for further investigations.

