Bangalore, Apr 9: In a painful rerun of the Baby Falak saga, a three-month-old baby girl is battling for life at a hospital here today after being allegedly battered by her father who is also accused of biting the infant.
Omar Farooq, a car painter, has been arrested following a police complaint yesterday by his 19-year-old wife Reshma who accused him of beating Baby Afrin since he was not happy with delivery of a girl.
The baby was admitted to the intensive care unit of state-run Vani Vilas Hospital yesterday after vomiting blood and suffering breathing problems and she would be kept under observation for 48 hours, hospital sources told PTI.
Reshma in her police complaint also charged her husband with even biting the baby in her absence.
The woman alleged that her husband, whom she married in 2010, did not want a girl child and that once she gave birth to Afrin, was continually harassing her to bring in Rs one lakh as dowry and threatened to end their lives if the demand was not met, police said.
She said she noticed her child vomiting blood on April 7 morning and immediately took her to Bowring Hospital, where she was treated for a day and referred to Vani Vilas Hospital, where she is now being treated.
Medical Superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital Dr Gangadhar said the baby is in critical condition as she has suffered brain haemorrhage.
“She has been put on ventilator support and her condition is being continuously monitored”, he told reporters.
Dr Premlata of the hospital's peadiatric department said there are lot of injury marks on the skin of the baby, who was either bitten or hit by something or thrown.
“There is also a history of smothering the baby with pillow,” she said.
The incident sparked outrage among child rights bodies.
“The attack on the girl was unpardonable,” Karnataka Child Welfare Commission Chairperson Meena Jain said.
Two-year-old Falak died on March 16, 56 days after she was admitted to AIIMS hospital in Delhi with severe head injuries, both arms broken and human bite marks all over her body.
Omar Farooq, a car painter, has been arrested following a police complaint yesterday by his 19-year-old wife Reshma who accused him of beating Baby Afrin since he was not happy with delivery of a girl.
The baby was admitted to the intensive care unit of state-run Vani Vilas Hospital yesterday after vomiting blood and suffering breathing problems and she would be kept under observation for 48 hours, hospital sources told PTI.
Reshma in her police complaint also charged her husband with even biting the baby in her absence.
The woman alleged that her husband, whom she married in 2010, did not want a girl child and that once she gave birth to Afrin, was continually harassing her to bring in Rs one lakh as dowry and threatened to end their lives if the demand was not met, police said.
She said she noticed her child vomiting blood on April 7 morning and immediately took her to Bowring Hospital, where she was treated for a day and referred to Vani Vilas Hospital, where she is now being treated.
Medical Superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital Dr Gangadhar said the baby is in critical condition as she has suffered brain haemorrhage.
“She has been put on ventilator support and her condition is being continuously monitored”, he told reporters.
Dr Premlata of the hospital's peadiatric department said there are lot of injury marks on the skin of the baby, who was either bitten or hit by something or thrown.
“There is also a history of smothering the baby with pillow,” she said.
The incident sparked outrage among child rights bodies.
“The attack on the girl was unpardonable,” Karnataka Child Welfare Commission Chairperson Meena Jain said.
Two-year-old Falak died on March 16, 56 days after she was admitted to AIIMS hospital in Delhi with severe head injuries, both arms broken and human bite marks all over her body.
