Fearing shame, childless woman fakes pregnancy, kidnap

Those who have watched Rajinikanth-starrer Ejamaan will remember the episode in which the heroine would fake her pregnancy and go on to celebrate baby shower in front of the entire village. A similar incident in the city was played out by a woman with a nail-biting climax.

Malathi (name changed), a ‘pregnant’ woman from Triplicane, on December 15, reached Government Kasturba Gandhi Hospital for Women and Children along with her mother and husband to get herself admitted since her due date was December 17. However, she mysteriously went missing from the hospital. After searching for her in and around the hospital, her husband lodged a complaint with the Triplicane police station.

Police swung into action and scoured CCTV footage from the hospital but in vain. They also formed teams to investigate whether she had become a victim of human traffickers or if she was involved in an extra-marital affair. On Tuesday, Malathi called up her mother and told her that she was ‘kidnapped’ by unknown persons. She also claimed that the ‘kidnappers’ took her newborn soon after she gave birth and abandoned her in Tiruttani.

The shocked mother informed police and a team led by a woman inspector rushed to Tiruttani with Malathi’s mother and husband. However, police inquiry revealed that it was a drama staged by Malathi from the very beginning.

Police told DTNext that Malathi could not bear a child even after seven years of marriage due to health issues. “But to avoid being branded as a barren woman, she conceived the idea of faking a pregnancy,” an officer said.

After she claimed to becoming pregnant after seven years, her relatives, including her husband, treated her with utmost care. “During all the visits to Kasturba hospital for ‘periodical check-ups’ Malathi managed to convince her parents that the doctor had told her all was well. Only, she did not meet any doctor even once. On all the visits, she would make her parents wait in the reception room while she went in for ‘consultation’. The family had also celebrated baby shower for Malathi in the presence of relatives,” the officer added.

But Malathi did not expect the unexpected. Her family sought the help of the police to track her. After being confronted by the police team, her mother and husband, she spilled the beans. However, police did not probe the case further and closed the complaint respecting the woman’s as well as her relatives’ sentiments.