Discrimination of the girl child continues to be a cause concern in Maharashtra, as the latest case of a newborn dead girl washed ashore at the Versova beach came to light on Friday.
According to the Versova police, the dead child was washed ashore during high tide on Friday afternoon at the seaface at Devichiwadi, Versova. Residents of the area noticed something suspicious on shore and went to investigate.
Seeing that it looked like a dead girl, they called the police control room. The information was relayed to the Versova police station and a team was rushed to the spot.
“The body was of a newborn girl, which had decomposed and bloated due to prolonged exposure to water. It was taken to the Cooper Hospital for post-mortem examination and reports are awaited. We have registered a complaint against unknown persons under Section 318 of the Indian Penal Code,” said Sharad Borse, senior police inspector, Versova police station.
Prima facie, the police believes that the child was the result of an unwanted pregnancy and was thrown into the sea by the mother. “The infant might not have necessarily been thrown off from the Versova area. It could have been thrown off from anywhere and washed ashore. The level of decomposition suggests that it must have spent at least a day in the water,” said Mr Borse. The police is now making inquires in surrounding areas to check if there are any eyewitnesses.
This is not the first case of crime against the girl child in Mumbai. Female foetuses were found discarded in garbage dumps and gutters in the Kurla-Dharavi area six months ago.