Published on: Nov 08, 2025 06:02 pm IST
She allegedly strangled her newborn son just five hours after he was born at a government hospital in Rajasthan’s Bikaner
Bikaner: A 40-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday for allegedly strangling her newborn son just hours after he was born at a government hospital in Rajasthan’s Bikaner on Friday morning, police said.
The mother, Guddi Devi, a resident of Ajitsar village, delivered a healthy baby boy around 11pm on Thursday, Station House Officer (SHO) of Kotwali police station Sukhram Chotia said.
According to a police complaint lodged by Guddi’s elder sister, Maina Devi, Guddi, already a mother of four children, became distressed shortly after the birth due to severe financial hardship and her inability to care for another child.
Police suspect the infant was strangled sometime between 2am and 4am in the maternity ward while other family members were asleep. “The baby was discovered motionless the following morning by Maina Devi, who noticed visible marks on the infant’s neck. Doctors pronounced the child dead upon examination,” an officer said.
In her complaint, Maina said that Guddi had been under prolonged mental and emotional strain. Her husband, Tara Chand (around 50), had suffered a brain haemorrhage, leaving him paralysed and bedridden. The couple, married for 24 years, already have four children — two sons and two daughters — and had been struggling financially.
Hospital staff also reported that the family’s conduct appeared suspicious. “Despite being informed immediately after the birth, none of the relatives came to take the baby for several hours. Guddi had not undergone any medical check-ups or prenatal tests during her nine-month pregnancy,” a staff member said.
SHO Chotia said the postmortem confirmed that the infant was strangled and a murder case has been registered against Guddi Devi. “She is currently undergoing treatment and will be arrested once discharged,” he said.
