Odisha woman booked for faking pregnancy for 9 months; claims newborn was stolen

The officials in Odisha’s Malkangiri said the woman may have concocted the story as her husband was insistent that she get pregnant, or she may have done it to avail the benefits provided by the state government to pregnant and lactating women.

Updated on: Mar 22, 2023, 10:11:07 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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The health officials in Odisha’s Malkangiri district have lodged a case against a 27-year-old woman after she allegedly faked pregnancy for nine months and claimed that her newborn was stolen.

The Malkangiri health officials said a forgery case has been lodged against the woman at Mathili police station. (Representative Image)

The officials said the woman may have concocted the story as her husband was insistent that she get pregnant, or she may have done it to avail the benefits provided by the state government to pregnant and lactating women.

Malkangiri chief district medical officer Prafulla Nanda said a forgery case has been lodged against the woman named Koushalya Bhumia of Birenpalli village at Mathili police station.

The Odisha government gives ₹5,000 to pregnant and lactating women in two instalments for first two live births as compensation for the working days lost as well as to provide nourishment in their crucial months under the Mamata scheme.

However, it is not clear if the woman received any financial benefits

She registered her name with the local Auxiliary Nurse Midwife(ANM) worker, but avoided the ASHA worker. She received egg and other nutritional supplements provided by the government under ICDS scheme.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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