A horrifying case of parental abandonment has emerged from the Dhanora area of Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, where a three-day-old infant was discovered buried under stones in a forest an act allegedly committed by his own parents to protect their government jobs.

The shocking discovery came on the morning of September 26, when villagers in Nandanwadi, near Road Ghat, were startled by persistent cries echoing through the forest. Initially mistaking the sound for an animal, a group of morning walkers approached and were stunned to find a bloodied, shivering newborn partially buried beneath rocks.

“We thought it was an animal,” a villager recalled. “But when we went closer, we saw tiny hands struggling under a stone. No parent should do this.”

Baby Rescued with Ant Bites, Hypothermia

Authorities were alerted immediately. The infant, found suffering from ant bites and signs of hypothermia, was rushed to a nearby health centre and later referred to the Chhindwara district hospital, where doctors now describe his survival as nothing short of a miracle.

“His survival is nothing short of miraculous,” said a pediatrician treating him. “Exposure overnight in this condition is usually fatal.”

Behind this chilling incident lies a deliberate act by an educated couple Bablu Dandoliya (38) and Rajkumari Dandoliya (28)  both employed as Class 3 primary school teachers since 2009. The couple, who already had three children aged 11, 7, and 4, allegedly feared the loss of Bablu’s job due to Madhya Pradesh’s two-child policy for government employees.

Introduced in 2000 and enforced since January 26, 2001, the policy disqualifies government staff from employment or promotions if they have more than two children. The Dandoliyas reportedly concealed Rajkumari’s fourth pregnancy entirely, giving birth at home on September 23.

Three days later, under the cover of early morning darkness, the newborn was taken by motorcycle into the nearby forest and abandoned. According to Dhanora Police Station in-charge Lakhanlal Ahirwar, the parents admitted they had previously managed to hide the birth of their third child from official records, but feared this would not be possible again.

“They told us they had managed to conceal the third child from records but feared Bablu would lose his job if a fourth was registered,” Ahirwar stated.

Legal proceedings were immediately initiated. The couple was arrested, and an FIR was lodged under Section 93 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for child abandonment. Following the circulation of a disturbing video showing the baby buried beneath stones, authorities have confirmed that attempt-to-murder charges under Section 109 BNS are also being considered.

“We are consulting senior officers. Further sections, including 109 BNS (attempt to murder), may be added after legal review,” said SDOP Kalyani Barkade.

The case has triggered public outrage and renewed scrutiny of the two-child policy. While the rule aims to manage population growth among government employees, critics argue it often pushes families into secrecy, fear, and, in extreme cases like this, dangerous actions.

For now, the newborn remains under close medical supervision at the district hospital. His future uncertain, but his survival already defying the darkest of expectations.