WB in shock as woman caught eating her own daughter

Malda, June 26: In a shocking incident in Malda district of West Bengal, villagers caught a woman eating the flesh of her 4-year old daughter after cutting it off from a portion of her head. Unusual as it seems, doctors believe that the woman-Pramila was mentally unstable.

A resident of Gopalpur village, 42-year old Pramila was discovered by her brother-in-law-Dablu Mandal, at her house slicing away the flesh. Falguni Mondal, Dablu's wife said,"Pramila's house is next to ours. When my husband entered her house, he could hear little Bharati's screams. She was sitting on her mother's lap crying as her mother ate her flesh. The scene was shocking beyond words. Her son Swarna was sleeping in the room at that time."

The girl Bharati was rescued from her brother and was rushed to the Malda Medical College and Hospital as she was bleeding profusely. As villagers came to know about it, they reached Pramila's house, tied and beat her up until she was rescued by the police. A mother of five, Pramila had earlier attempted to set her another daughter-Parbati on fire. Following which, she stays with her uncle most of the time.

Villagers claim that she is a drug addict and has been drinking since Wednesday. Sources informed that her husband Habu Mondal had left for Delhi to work as a labourer a year ago but never returned. Two of her daughters were married off two years ago and Pramila resides with two other daughters and a 2-year old son-Swarna.

Meanwhile, English Bazar's block development officer Partha Dey said that Bharati has been admitted to the ICU. "If needed, the juvenile justice court and child welfare committee may intervene in the matter. I have heard that the family is very poor but that could not have led to such behaviour. We are looking into the matter," he added.

Doctors believe that Pramila is psychologically disoriented. Dr Dipali Mondal said,"I do not think what happened had anything to do with hunger pangs. The woman has lost touch with reality. Seldom do we hear of people behaving so inhumanly with their children."

OneIndia News