Bhadrak: In a case bordering on both humanity and inhumanity, a mentally challenged woman gave birth to a baby boy on the road and a group of social activists rescued both the mother and the newborn and admitted them to hospital.
This thought-provoking incident took place at Bant Chowk in Bhadrak district late Friday night.
It was Friday night. People were still seen on the road–on cycles, on motorcycles and in vehicles as well. They all seemed to be in a hurry. At the same time, there a mentally challenged woman laid on the side of the road, writhing in labour pain and crying for help. But her cry failed to draw the attention of people passing by.
Later, she gave birth to a baby on her own. On being informed, some social activists came to her rescue and took both the mother and her newborn son in an ambulance to Bhadrak district headquarters hospital. After some tests, the doctors said that both were out of danger. However, after some time the woman was not found in her bed and went untraced.
The woman had earlier been moving around Bant Chowk and living on alms. Taking advantage of her loneliness and mental condition, someone had raped her, leading to her pregnancy.
“How inhuman we have become? Can we stoop so low as to rape a mentally challenged woman? The person who had impregnated the woman should be found out and punished,” some people demanded.
Since she is mentally challenged, identity of her husband could not be established, a rescuer said.
PNN