A married woman in Porbandar, fearing social disgrace, allegedly conspired with her mother and cousin to kill her newborn boy conceived out of an illicit relationship. The incident came to light after the woman's husband, Vipul Vasan, discovered the truth and filed a police complaint on May 4 at the Madhavpur police station against his wife Jagruti, her mother Dudhi Vaja, and her maternal cousin Hitesh Daki.
Charges Filed
The accused face charges including murder, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Marriage and Suspicions
Vipul married Jagruti in 2017, and the couple has an 8-year-old son. However, Vipul frequently found Jagruti speaking to another person on the phone, leading to disputes. For nearly two years, Jagruti stayed at her maternal home, and during this period, the couple did not have a physical relationship. Their son lived with his father after Jagruti left her husband.
Discovery of the Birth
Vipul was alerted when rumors spread in the village about Jagruti giving birth. On April 22, Vipul and his mother visited Madhavpur Government Hospital, where they learned that Jagruti had been admitted on April 20 and had delivered prematurely. Crucially, Vipul's name was registered as the father on hospital records.
Later, Vipul discovered that Jagruti had left the hospital with the baby without informing the staff and that she was staying at her maternal home without the child.
Abandonment and Death
Dhaval Sutariya, Deputy SP of Ranavav Division, said, "The accused dumped the baby in bushes near Odadar village, leading to its death, on April 20." Police sources revealed that Jagruti's lover is suspected to be her maternal cousin Hitesh. She knew the child's paternity and called Hitesh to the hospital. The three accused allegedly left the hospital with the child and abandoned it in the bushes near Odadar village on the morning of April 20.
Investigation
DNA samples from Jagruti and Hitesh have been collected and sent for matching with the deceased child's to conclusively determine paternity. The investigation is ongoing.
