UP: Man cuts pregnant wife's stomach to check baby's gender
A father of five daughters was sentenced to life imprisonment for a gruesome act committed against his pregnant wife. According to reports, the accused, Panna Lal, used a sickle to cut open his wife's stomach with the intention of determining the gender of their unborn child in September 2020. The incident occurred in the Civil Lines area of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh.
Longstanding disputes preceded the brutal attack
Lal and his wife, Anita, had been married for 22 years and were parents to five daughters. The couple was known to have regular disputes due to Lal's desire for a male child. Despite attempts from Anita's family to mediate, Lal threatened divorce and remarriage in hopes of fathering a son. These disagreements culminated in the violent incident over their unborn baby's gender.
Details of the horrific attack emerge
On the day of the incident, a fight broke out between Lal and Anita over their unborn baby's gender. This led to Lal attacking his wife with a sickle, causing her to flee. However, he managed to catch her and used the sickle to cut open her stomach. Anita was eight months pregnant at the time. According to her testimony in court, the cut was so deep that her intestines protruded from her stomach.
Victim's rescue and attacker's escape
Following the attack, Anita managed to escape to the street, where her brother, who worked nearby, heard her cries for help. Upon seeing him approach, Lal fled from the scene. Anita was immediately rushed to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi by Budaun police. Despite the doctors' efforts, they were unable to save her unborn son but managed to save Anita's life.
Court proceedings lead to life sentence for Lal
In court, Lal claimed that Anita had inflicted the wounds on herself due to a property dispute with her brothers. However, the court found him guilty under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent). The court also imposing a fine of ₹50,000. Public prosecutor Atul Singh stated, "The accused initially denied committing the crime, saying it was an accident. However, evidence produced...in court and the wife's statement proved sufficient to convict him."
