In a shocking incident that resembles the tragedy of battered baby Falak, a five-year-old girl was inflicted with severe burns, beaten up and starved allegedly by her foster parents in West Godavari district.
The girl has been admitted to a hospital with multiple burns caused by hot spoon being put on her body, multiple rib fractures and head injuries.
The girl is the third daughter of Konagala Apparao and his wife Devi of Tadepalligudem in the district. Following the death of her husband and driven by poverty, Devi, who is a worker, gave her daughter in the care of an issueless couple R. Lakshmi and Gopi three months ago with a woman in the neighbourhood acting as an intermediary.
The two elder girls were admitted to an orphanage in nearby Rajahmundry. The foster mother allegedly brutally tortured the girl, police said.
After being told by the intermediary recently, the baby's mother went to see her daughter and was shocked over the condition of her health.
Doctors attending on the girl at a major private hospital here said she received burn injuries caused by a burnt spoon being put on the body and multiple rib fractures after being beaten on the chest.
She has fluid in the lungs, accumulation of water in the stomach area, haematoma in the scalp was also detected, they said, adding that the girl was also suffering from under nourishment, anaemia and protein deficiency as she was not fed properly for the last few months.
All necessary medical care is being provided to the girl almost free of cost by the hospital but whether the girl is out of danger can be said with certainty only after a week, the doctors said.
Congress MP K. Bapiraju and district officials enquired about the health of the girl and the government agencies would take care of the girl, officials said.
Meanwhile, police said the foster parents of the victim and the intermediary were arrested. Gopi has denied torturing the girl.
The harrowing ordeal of two-year-old battered baby girl Falak had shocked the country recently after she was admitted to the AIIMS in Delhi on January 18 with severe head injuries, broken arms, bite marks all over her body and cheeks branded with hot iron.
After a two-month-long grim battle for survival, she died in March following a cardiac arrest. Investigations revealed the shocking story of Falak, her two siblings and their mother who were all separated after falling victim to human traffickers.