Mumbai Shocker: Woman Strangles Baby 5 Days After Birth, Says 'Couldn't Raise Second Child'

A 23-year-old Navi Mumbai resident was arrested on Monday for allegedly strangling her baby five days after giving birth. She told cops she had learned of her pregnancy only in the seventh month and couldn’t raise a second child.

A 23-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly strangling her newborn son just five days after giving birth in Navi Mumbai. The accused, identified as Ashwini Chandanshive, was taken into custody on Monday after allegedly confessing to the crime. She told police that she had discovered her pregnancy only in the seventh month and felt incapable of raising a second child.

Satish Chabukswar, inspector (crime) at Turbhe police station, said Chandanshive already had an 18-month-old daughter and was struggling with the prospect of caring for another child. She reportedly sought to medically terminate the pregnancy after learning about it, but was allegedly informed by a gynaecologist that the procedure could not be carried out because she was already 28 weeks pregnant.

Chandanshive delivered the baby at a civic hospital in Vashi on June 3 and was discharged four days later. Following her discharge, she moved into the residence of her sister-in-law, Ashwini Sainath Suryatale, while her husband, a driver by profession, was away for work.

On June 8, when Suryatale returned home from work allegedly found the five-day-old infant lying motionless. During inquiry, Chandanshive allegedly admitted that she had strangled the newborn, police said.

Police have launched an investigation into the incident, which has raised disturbing questions about mental distress, access to support systems, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged crime. The woman remains in police custody as further legal proceedings continue.