A sensational incident has taken place in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh state of India. Police have rescued a 20-day-old baby girl alive after she was buried in mud. The baby is currently undergoing treatment at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Shahjahanpur Government Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.

According to local sources, a shepherd was grazing goats when he suddenly heard crying. When he got closer, he saw a small hand sticking out of the mud. He immediately called the villagers and later the police came and rescued the baby and took him to the hospital.

When he was taken to the hospital, the baby's entire body was covered in mud. She could not breathe as the mud had entered her mouth and nose. Rajesh Kumar, principal of the medical college, said that the baby's condition was very critical initially. There was a lack of oxygen in her body and insects and some animals also bit her.

He added, “After 24 hours, the child’s condition improved slightly, but later he fell ill again. The infection has spread in the body. Our medical team is trying its best. A plastic surgeon is also working to treat the child.”

Meanwhile, the police said that the identity of the child’s parents has not been identified yet. The state’s Child Information Helpline has been informed in this regard.

For a long time, there has been a trend of neglecting girl children compared to boys in India. Especially in poor families, girl children are seen as a financial burden. That is why incidents of killing or abandoning girl children often come to the fore.

Even in 2019, an immature newborn was buried in the ground in Uttar Pradesh. Fortunately, she was rescued alive and treated in a hospital and recovered within a few weeks.

India, which ranks among the top in the world in terms of gender inequality, has once again highlighted the horrific picture of social inequality through this incident.