In a shocking incident in Maharashtra’s Parbhani district, a 19-year-old woman allegedly gave birth on a moving sleeper coach bus. She was travelling with a 21-year-old man claiming to be her husband, threw the newborn out of the window. The baby died from the fall, and both individuals were later taken into custody by police.

Couple Allegedly Tried to Hide Birth

The accused, identified as Ritika Dhere and Altaf Shaikh, were travelling from Pune to Parbhani in a private sleeper coach operated by Sant Prayag Travels. According to police officials, Dhere went into labour during the journey and delivered a baby boy while the bus was still en route.

Soon after the birth, the couple reportedly wrapped the baby in cloth and tossed him out of the bus window near the outskirts of Pathri around 6:30 a.m. on July 15. The act was witnessed by a fellow passenger and also by joggers who spotted a suspicious bundle on the roadside.

Alert Citizens, Quick Police Action

A group of early-morning walkers saw the package being flung from the bus and quickly found the lifeless body of a newborn boy. They contacted Pathri Police immediately. Officers traced the vehicle based on witness accounts of the bus name and route. Police located the bus at the Parbhani office of the travel company and questioned the driver, who confirmed stopping briefly after spotting something being discarded.

When he confronted the passengers, Shaikh reportedly claimed his partner had vomited due to illness. However, further investigation revealed the truth.

Couple Confessed to Crime, Citing Inability to Raise Child

After intercepting the bus and taking the couple into custody, police said both Dhere and Shaikh admitted to disposing of the baby because they were not prepared to raise a child. While they claimed to be married, no legal documentation confirming their relationship was provided.

Both individuals are originally from Parbhani but had been living together in Pune for over a year. The woman was admitted to Parbhani Government Hospital for medical care, while Shaikh remains in police custody.

Police Register Case Under New Criminal Code

A case has been filed at the Pathri Police Station under Sections 94(3) and 94(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body). Authorities have served notices to the accused and confirmed that a detailed investigation is underway.

“A woman, identified as Ritika Dhere, was travelling to Parbhani from Pune along with Altaf Shaikh, who claimed to be her husband, in the sleeper coach bus of Sant Prayag Travels. During their journey, the woman, who was pregnant, went into labour and gave birth to a baby boy. However, the couple wrapped the newborn in a piece of cloth and threw him out of the vehicle,” the official said.

“Meanwhile, when an alert citizen on the road checked what was thrown out of the bus window, he was shocked to find that it was a baby boy. He immediately alerted the police by calling their 112 helpline,” he said. “After taking them into custody, the police rushed the woman to a hospital for treatment,” he said.

This tragic incident has sparked outrage and horror in the local community, raising pressing questions about awareness, reproductive healthcare access, and social stigma.