MP: Woman gets life sentence for killing infant daughter

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 28 (ANI): A session court in Bhopal on Thursday sentenced a woman to life imprisonment for killing her one-month-old daughter and also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000.
The court of Additional Sessions Judge Atul Saxena found Sarita Mewada guilty under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 302. Judge Saxena awarded life imprisonment to the convict and imposed the fine under the said Section.
The incident occurred in September 2020. The convict, Sarita, wished for a boy but she gave birth to a girl. Whenever she saw her daughter, she used to curse herself. Following which, one day taking advantage of a situation of being alone in the home, she killed her daughter by putting her into a water tank.
Public Prosecutor Sudhavijay Singh Bhadoria said, "The case is related to the incident that took place on September 16, 2020. Sarita said that she laid her daughter on a cot but she was not on the cot and there was none other than her in the house. Later, when searched, the little one was found dead in a water tank kept inside the house."
"Sarita's husband, Sachin Mewada said in his statement that when he questioned his wife Sarita, she started crying and said that she had put her one-month-old daughter in the water tank and closed the lid. Sarita had thought that she would have a boy, but when she gave birth to a girl, she did not love the girl. Whenever she saw her, she started cursing herself. Therefore, taking the opportunity that there was no one in the house, she put the daughter in the water tank and closed the lid and did not tell this to anyone due to fear," Bhadoria said.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered under IPC Section 302 at Khajuri Sadak police station in the state capital and began the investigation. Based on the evidence collected from the incident site and after complete investigation, a charge sheet was presented before the Court, she said.
During the trial of the case, the court agreed with the evidence, arguments and precedents presented by the prosecution. The court convicted the accused and sentenced her to life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 under Section 302 of the IPC, the Public Prosecutor said.
Additionally, while passing the judgment of the case, the court made a special comment that daughters are a powerful signature of civilisation, culture, and nation-building in the present era. (ANI)