A newborn always brings happiness to a household. Often, in case there is a rift in the family, the bundle of joy helps mend that rift. Much the same is the case of Kesh Kumari, lodged in the Pratapgarh district jail for murdering her three-year-old son, last year.
She delivered a baby girl a fortnight ago and that child is forcing a change of heart among family members, who had totally shunned Kesh Kumari, as well as fellow prisoners.
Her husband, mother-in-law and other family members and fellow jail inmates, all have had a change of heart owing to the birth of the little one and have begun helping Kesh Kumari raise the newborn. Prison authorities, too, have begun providing much-needed nutritious food to Kesh Kumari as per the jail manual.
The details are as follows. Rakesh Verma, a resident of Baijnath village of Antu police station of the neighbouring district of Pratapgarh is a labourer. On March 29, 2021, his wife, Kesh Kumari, insisted on going to her maternal home on Holi but Rakesh refused. It is alleged that an upset and angry Kesh Kumari killed her only son Yug (3) with a knife and even tried to slash her own throat. However, her screams of pain resulted in her mother-in-law, Prabhavati, waking up and crying out for help. Soon Rakesh and his father, Ramsukh, rushed in to find Yug’s body lying in a pool of blood, jail officials said.
It is also alleged that the family members buried the body to escape police investigation. On the evening of March 30, when someone informed the police, the body was taken out and a post-mortem examination was carried out. On the complaint of Ramsukh, the police registered a case of murder against Kesh Kumari and also arrested Rakesh and Prabhavati for conspiracy.
{{/usCountry}}It is also alleged that the family members buried the body to escape police investigation. On the evening of March 30, when someone informed the police, the body was taken out and a post-mortem examination was carried out. On the complaint of Ramsukh, the police registered a case of murder against Kesh Kumari and also arrested Rakesh and Prabhavati for conspiracy.
{{/usCountry}}The latter two got bail but Kesh Kumari, pregnant at the time of the incident, was sent to jail. Soon, family members distanced themselves from her, prison officials said.
After the birth of the girl, Kesh Kumari’s husband and mother-in-law went to meet her for the first time after a long gap and had even brought Sonthoura, Achwani and Pissua (ethnic preparations given to a woman who has delivered a baby) among other things for her and the baby. Because of this, her condition too has started to improve, officials said.
Even the jail administration made arrangements of a special nutritional diet as per the jail manual.
Officials said that as the jail staff and female prisoners were also concerned about the newborn, the little girl has started getting extra care from everyone. A woman head warder, considered very strict by the prisoners, has started massaging the newborn after her duty hours. Women prisoners are helping in preparing ‘Uptaan’ (the paste of turmeric and gram flour) and have brought oil for the massage of the child.
Jail superintendent, RP Chaudhary, said, “After the birth of the girl, Kesh Kumari is being treated and provided all help according to the jail manual and the guidelines of the Supreme Court for pregnant women in jails.”