In a shocking case from the district of Budaun in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a man who sliced open his pregnant wife’s abdomen to determine the gender of the child has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
According to Indian media sources, the incident occurred in the Civil Lines area on September 19, 2020.
The 46-year-old culprit, Panna Lal, assaulted his wife Anita Devi when a priest told him that his wife was expecting a daughter.
Anita was admitted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where doctors successfully saved her life. However, the unborn child could not be saved, contrary to the priest’s prediction of a daughter.
Panna Lal was charged under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and was sent to jail. Charges were framed against him in 2021.
Anita’s brother, Ravi Singh, revealed, “Anita’s marriage to Panna Lal happened almost 25 years ago. She gave birth to five daughters, but Panna Lal wanted a son. When my sister became pregnant for the sixth time, Panna Lal wanted her to undergo an abortion because a village priest had instilled in him the belief that Anita was going to have a daughter again. However, Anita was adamant about not getting an abortion.”
Ravi Singh further stated, “He used to frequently abuse Anita, but we never thought he would take such an extreme step. We are relieved that he has been sentenced, but it is regrettable that my sister has not been able to lead a normal life to this day.”
Government lawyer Atul Singh commented that the accused initially denied the crime, claiming it was merely an accident. However, the evidence presented by our side and Anita’s statement proved him guilty.
The court, while sentencing him to life imprisonment under Section 307 (attempt to murder), remarked that this heinous crime was not committed against an individual but against the entire society. The culprit has been fined INR 50,000 as well.
