Delhi: Not missing or kidnapped, just unwanted for being a girl

Published by

Kushan Niyogi

May 28, 2026 11:20 am

Delhi: Not missing or kidnapped, just unwanted for being a girl

On May 25, police said a 25-year-old man allegedly killed his 10-month-old daughter because he was unable to bear the financial burden of raising a second girl child.

The accused, identified as Deepak, allegedly strangulated the infant, dumped her body inside the septic tank of his house two days earlier, and later fabricated a kidnapping story to mislead police in Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy area. The child’s body was recovered after Deepak allegedly broke down during interrogation and confessed to the crime.

Police said the accused initially claimed that the child had gone missing while he was out buying milk and biscuits. According to police, a PCR call regarding the alleged kidnapping was received on May 24.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North) Hareshwar Swami stated in a release that a large search operation was launched immediately because of the sensitive nature of the case. Multiple police teams were formed, and CCTV footage from the locality was scanned to trace the infant and identify possible suspects.

During the investigation, police found inconsistencies in Deepak’s version of events. A detailed analysis of CCTV footage did not support his claim that he had gone outside when the child was allegedly kidnapped. Additionally, Deepak’s father told police that when his son returned home, the infant could not be found, prompting the family to alert neighbours and begin searching before informing police.

Deepak’s wife, Surya, told investigators that she and their elder daughter had suddenly fallen unconscious after her husband went out.

Cases of abandonment

The incident has once again drawn attention to cases of child abandonment and neglect reported in the Capital.

According to data accessed by Patriot from the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET), seven adolescents were among 45 unidentified persons found recently, with the eldest among them estimated to be between eight and 10 years old.

Officials and child welfare workers say several abandoned children eventually grow up inside shelter homes and childcare institutions across Delhi.

A similar pattern is visible in records maintained by the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD), where numerous notices relate to children abandoned or found without guardians over the past several years.

According to data available on the WCD website till May 7 this year, 64 children had been reported missing in Delhi in 2026. Some unresolved cases date back to 2017.

Abandoned at hospital

On October 25, 2025, a child named Vanya was born at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital and was later abandoned in the maternity ward following an assisted breech delivery.

In another instance, a baby later named Anushka was found inside a cradle outside the Welfare Home for Children in Sarita Vihar on October 20, 2025.

These cradles were established following a 2017 Central government directive mandating facilities where unwanted infants could be safely left in an effort to prevent abandonment or infanticide.

Shelter and support systems

Several NGOs are also working to prevent infant abandonment and provide care for abandoned children.

The Delhi Council for Child Welfare (DCCW) introduced its Palna programme in 1978, allowing parents to anonymously leave infants inside a cradle outside the organisation’s facility.

Loraine Campos, Assistant Director at DCCW, explained, “The cradle is fitted with sensors that alert us when a baby is placed inside. We also receive children through the Child Welfare Committee, which works with police, hospitals, and clinics.”

Campos noted that many abandoned children are found with serious health complications.

“Some parents leave their children in the cradle but continue visiting them because they cannot afford to raise them. However, in cases of complete abandonment, several other factors also come into play,” she said.

According to child welfare workers, some children are also left behind by relatives following the deaths of their parents because of financial difficulties.

Campos identified gender bias and disabilities as among the major reasons for abandonment.

“If a child is the third girl in a family, they are sometimes abandoned. Similarly, parents who discover their child has a disability may choose to leave them,” she said.

Child welfare workers say financial stress, inflation, and the rising cost of living continue to remain significant factors behind many abandonment cases.

Police said the investigation into Deepak’s case was continuing, particularly regarding the allegation that his wife and elder daughter may have been drugged.

Kushan Niyogi