13 October,2023 07:51 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
The woman in hospital for post-delivery care
A 34-year-old woman and her co-worker have been booked by the Dadar police for throwing her newborn boy into the Mithi River near Bandra on October 10. The police said that the woman hid her pregnancy from friends claiming her stomach had bloated because of two tumours in her intestines.
On Tuesday, when the woman delivered a boy, who she claimed was stillborn, she panicked and with the help of a colleague, threw him into the Mithi river. After the matter came to light, the Dadar police booked Asthsa Sharma (name changed) and her office colleague Jalaluddin Alam, who helped throw the child. Sharma is currently admitted at Sion hospital for post-delivery care. The police have sent notice to both to investigate further.
Dadar police traced the woman with the help of CCTV footage
According to a police officer, Sharma has been working at an agency in Dadar for the last two years and she resides with 13 other women in Worli. "For the last two months, Sharma's stomach was bloated due to the pregnancy, but refused to accept it and told her colleagues that the condition was caused by two large tumours that were detected in her stomach," said the officer.
"On October 10 Sharma was at home and complained of pain in the stomach. She went into the washroom to check. Two of her friends were present at the time. She delivered the baby inside but claimed it was stillborn. She then packed the baby in a plastic bag and with the help of Alam, threw it into the river," an officer added.
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After the incident, the Dadar police received information that someone had thrown a baby into the Mithi River at Bandra. With the help of CCTV footage, the cops reached Sharma's residence. On questioning her, the police found her behaviour suspicious and took her and Alam into custody. During interrogation, Sharma said that she gave birth to a boy and it was stillborn. She also confessed to throwing the "stillborn" into the river with Alam's help. Senior Inspector Rajendra Avhad of Dadar police station said, "We have registered an FIR against them and sent a notice to both. We are investigating the matter."
34
Age of woman who threw newborn