In a shocking case of cruelty driven by the desire for a son, a court in Badaun has sentenced Pannalal to life imprisonment for slashing his pregnant wife’s abdomen with a sickle to determine the gender of their unborn child. Special Public Prosecutor Munendra Pal Singh reported that Additional Sessions Judge Saurabh Saxena also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Pannalal. The violent act endangered the woman’s life, causing her intestines to protrude and resulting in a miscarriage.
“I’ll see if it’s a boy or girl this time”
According to the case details, Golu, a resident of Ghocha village, filed an FIR on September 19, 2020. Golu alleged that his sister Anita had been continuously harassed by her husband, Pannalal, after giving birth to five daughters. Pannalal had repeatedly threatened to remarry. During the incident, Pannalal argued with Anita, who was eight months pregnant, and declared he would cut her open to see if the baby was a boy or a girl.
Grisly attack leads to miscarriage
Pannalal then proceeded to cut Anita’s abdomen with a sickle, causing her intestines to spill out and resulting in the death of the eight-month-old fetus, which was later confirmed to be a boy. Anita was rushed to a hospital in Bareilly for emergency treatment. After a thorough investigation, a charge sheet was filed in court. Senior Superintendent of Police Alok Priyadarshi confirmed that the case was processed swiftly, leading to Pannalal’s conviction.
Anita’s testimony
Anita, now 38, shared that her family severed ties with Pannalal after the attack. Running a small grocery shop to support her five daughters, Anita recounted that Pannalal had made multiple attempts on her life, yet she had tried to reason with him. The brutal attack with the sickle prompted her family to seek justice. After four years of waiting, Anita finally received the court’s judgment.
Son’s death in the womb
Anita expressed that the son Pannalal so desperately wanted was the same child he killed in the womb. Pannalal, who ran a samosa and sweets shop, had resumed his business after serving two years in jail on bail. However, after the court’s decision, he was sent back to prison.
Conviction based on daughter’s testimony
The conviction was significantly influenced by the testimony of Pannalal and Anita’s daughter, Nirjala. She testified that Pannalal had repeatedly threatened to cut open Anita’s abdomen to determine the baby’s gender. Nirjala’s statement was crucial in securing her father’s life sentence.
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