Days after a suspected victim of sexual assault murdered her newborn in Kochi, another woman was found to have given birth in the bathroom of a private hostel, the police said on 5th May. The back-to-back episodes have raised serious concerns about concealed pregnancies, lack of timely medical support, and the growing number of young women facing childbirth in unsafe and isolated conditions.

In the first incident, on May 3rd, a 23-year-old woman who had concealed her pregnancy delivered her baby on Friday morning in her apartment bathroom. According to police statements, the woman had been living alone and had reportedly avoided antenatal checkups, leading to the childbirth occurring without medical supervision. Then, she allegedly proceeded to throw her newborn baby into the street in front of her flat complex in Panampilly Nagar.

The newborn was found dead by conservancy workers and the woman who delivered the child was arrested by the police.

Another such shocking incident happened on May 5, when a 22-year-old woman, gave birth to a baby boy in the bathroom of a city hostel on Sunday morning. As per sources, the woman is from Kollam and works in a private firm in Kochi.

The matter came to an open when the woman's hostel mates forcefully opened the bathroom door as the door had been locked for a long time, the police said. The Ernakulam North police reached the spot after being informed by the hostel authorities and both the woman and her child were shifted to a hospital safely.

We were informed by the hostel authorities. We immediately shifted her and the child to a nearby hospital. They both are safe now, an officer said.

An officer added that her family had been informed and her close friends also reached the hospital.

The hostel mates were unaware of her pregnancy. Hospital authorities informed that the child was healthy weighing 2.8 Kg.

In the end, she informed the child's father, who was called to the station along with his parents. No case has been registered, as she has not filed a formal complaint.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Tabsum Amjad Baig/MSM)