Odisha Woman Pregnant With Girl Child Burnt Alive By In-Laws

Sundargarh: A woman from Koilagate region under Bandhamunda police limits in Sundargarh district was allegedly set on fire by in-laws for being pregnant with a second girl child.

The deceased, Radha Kumari, was married to Vinod Singh about six years ago. The couple already had a daughter and Radha was expecting again.

Radha’s in-laws got a sex determination test done and came to know that she was expecting a girl child again. They allegedly set her ablaze in a bid to get rid of the female child and their daughter-in-law. Radha was admitted to Rourkela IGH in a critical condition. She gave birth to the baby at the hospital but the newborn died while undergoing treatment. Later, Radha also reportedly succumbed to the burn injuries.

Social activist Pramila Das alleged that Radha’s in-laws had earlier threatened that they would burn Radha along with her still-to-be-born baby girl.

Rourkela DCP Pradyumna Kumar Mishra said that the deceased girl’s father has lodged a complaint alleging that his daughter was killed for dowry. “A dowry case has been registered and four persons have been apprehended,” he added.

As per a police complaint lodged by the family members of the deceased, in 2014 too she was forced to undergo an abortion after a sex determination test.  Years later, she gave birth to a baby girl after which her husband and in-laws started torturing her. This time, they burnt her.