In a disturbing incident from Belagavi district of Karnataka, a mother has been arrested for allegedly strangling her fourth newborn daughter to death. The tragic event occurred on Tuesday in Hiremulangi, a village in Ramdurg taluk, according to local authorities.

Police reports indicate that the mother was overwhelmed with despair after giving birth to another girl instead of the son she had hoped for. Her three-day-old daughter, born at the Mudakavi Primary Health Centre, was the cause of her heart-wrenching actions.

After returning to her parental home on November 24, the mother, identified as Ashwini Halkatti, took the drastic step when her own mother briefly stepped outside the house. She allegedly strangled the infant and then feigned that the baby was unresponsive.

Despite being rushed to Ramdurg Taluk Hospital, the infant was pronounced dead, with medical professionals confirming the cause as strangulation and suffocation. During subsequent interrogations, Ashwini admitted to the crime.

Currently, she is under police supervision receiving care at Ramdurg Government Hospital. The local Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chidambara Madivalar, has visited the scene for further investigation, which is still ongoing.

This incident is a grim reminder of the ongoing issue of gender preference in India, as highlighted by the Karnataka government’s concerns over the declining female-to-male sex ratio. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has previously linked this decline to organized foeticide, with eight cases reported this year alone, leading to numerous arrests.

The state has implemented measures to combat female foeticide, including the establishment of committees under the PC and PNDT Act at various administrative levels. As of now, there have been 136 cases filed against violators of this act.