Mother-In-Law Stamped On Pregnant Woman's Belly Because She Believed She Was Expecting A Girl

Mother-In-Law Stamped On Pregnant Woman's Belly Because She Believed She Was Expecting A Girl

A pregnant woman's husband and her mother-in-law kicked, punched and 'stomped on' her belly after they were told she was having a baby girl.

Relatives of Suvarna Gaikwad urged her to abort her two-month-old foetus, but when she refused, they savagely attacked her.

Police said the 20-year-old was attacked after a 'Godman' - an Indian holy man she was taken to see - told her in-laws that she was carrying a girl which would bring doom upon the family.

The husband, mother-in-law and two others stamped on her stomach, killing the unborn baby, which had to be aborted.

Suvarna said: "My husband's family would regularly visit this so-called Godman. They took me to him too, since there were squabbles in the house. Since I refused to abort my baby, they hit me."

She claims that she had previously been 'tortured' by members of the family she married into because they wanted her to provide a dowry to build a house.

Her husband Khanderao Gaikwad, who is a labourer, the holy man and six others, including her in-laws, have been arrested and charged with harassment and causing miscarriage without a woman's consent.

Suvarna Gaikwad married Khanderao Gaikwad last June, say police After the attack she confided in her uncle who helped her file a police complaint.

Bajirao Bhosale, the police inspector at Panchvati police station in Nashik, Marahashtra, said: "A godman told her that the baby in her stomach is a girl and that the family will suffer a lot because of that girl and so Suvarna Gaikwad was assaulted. We have arrested those involved."

All the accused have been remanded in police custody until April 18.

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