The Indian Express photo.
Bhopal: Parents of a three-day-old infant in Madhya Pradesh abandoned it in a forest in Chhindwara district, allegedly due to fear of losing their jobs, since the baby was their fourth child. Both parents are government school teachers, and both were arrested by the state police, The Indian Express reported.
The accused, Bablu and Rajkumari Dandoliya, have three other children of ages 8, 6 and 4, and the infant was born on September 23rd. Shortly after the baby’s birth, it was taken to a nearby forest and was placed under a heavy stone. It was the villagers who heard the baby’s cries and rescued it the next day. The child was immediately transferred to medical care and later shifted to the district hospital, where it is currently under treatment.
Police said that after interrogation of the baby’s father, he allegedly confessed that the couple decided to abandon the baby over fears of losing their jobs.
As per the Sub-Rule (6) of Rule 6 of Madhya Pradesh Civil Services (General Conditions of Service) Rules, 1961, which states: “No candidate shall be eligible for appointment to a service or post who has more than two living children, one of whom is born on or after the 26th day of January, 2001”.
However, a government official said that there is a dichotomy that if a candidate for a government job has more than two children, they won’t be eligible to sit in the exam, but the rule doesn’t mention having children after joining the service.
Meanwhile, police have filed a case under Section 93 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for child abandonment, and more sections, like 109 of attempt to murder, might get added, according to the TIE report.