An eight-month-old baby girl is battling for life after she was allegedly forced to consume acid by her mother at their home in Bhiwadi town of Rajasthan’s Khairthal-Bhiwadi district, police said on Monday.
The incident reportedly took place in the Captain Chowk area of Bhiwadi and has triggered shock and outrage among local residents. According to police and family members, the infant was alone at home with her mother when the incident occurred.
How the father found out
The child, identified as Kavya, was first rushed to a hospital in Bhiwadi after her condition rapidly deteriorated. Due to the severity of her injuries, doctors referred her to Alwar Children’s Hospital, where she remains admitted in critical condition on ventilator support.
The girl’s father, Mohit, alleged that the incident took place while he was away at work.
“I left for duty. My sister informed me about this incident. Then I took my daughter to the government hospital in Bhiwadi for treatment, and from there they referred us further,” he said.
“After that, we took the child to a private hospital. When the doctor examined the child properly, it was found that she was burned internally,” he added.
What doctors said
Mohit alleged that his wife initially denied any involvement before later admitting to the act after the family threatened to inform the police.
“After that, I asked my wife about it, but initially she denied everything. Then we warned her that the police would be informed and action would be taken. After that, she admitted the truth, that she had given the child acid to drink,” he claimed.
According to local media reports, the infant began crying uncontrollably after allegedly consuming the substance and started bleeding from her nose and mouth, causing panic among family members.
Additional Superintendent of Police Shriman Meena said a case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
“We have received information that the baby was allegedly given acid by her mother. The child is under treatment and police are investigating all aspects of the case, including the motive behind the incident,” the officer said.
What doctors say
Doctors treating the child said she suffered severe internal injuries and continues to remain in an extremely critical state.
Dr Somdutta Gupta said the extent of the damage caused by the chemical could only be determined after specialised medical examinations.
“As mentioned in the preliminary report, the family informed the police about how the incident happened, why it happened, and whether acid or some other chemical was made to be consumed,” the doctor said.
“How far the chemical has spread, whether it has gone into the esophagus (food pipe) or into the respiratory tract, can only be determined through endoscopy and bronchoscopy,” the doctor added.
Dr Rashi Singh Kaushik said the infant was brought to the hospital in a highly critical condition.
“The child’s name is Kavya. Her father’s name is Mohit. She is an eight-month-old female child. She was initially treated at a Bhiwadi hospital and was referred here at around 7 PM yesterday,” she said.
“According to the family members, the mother made the child consume acid. The child has been suffering continuous bleeding. She is on ventilator support, her oxygen saturation is not being fully maintained, and she is in severe distress. We are continuously monitoring her,” Dr Kaushik added.
Doctors said the child remains under close observation and is being treated by a specialist medical team round the clock.
“But from my initial examination, the child appears to be in a very critical condition. She has been put on ventilator support with CPAP, yet she is still in severe distress,” Dr Gupta said.
“Whether she will survive or not, and even if she survives, what kind of complications she may face, it is impossible to predict right now,” the doctor added.
Police said further action in the case would depend on the medical report and findings of the ongoing investigation.
