Husband cites belief, forbids wife from feeding newborn

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kozhikode district collector N Prasanth on Thursday directed police to register a case against a man who prevented his wife from feeding their new-born saying it should be done only after offering five prayers.

The EMS Cooperative Hospital in Mukkam landed in a peculiar situation on Wednesday when Hafsath (22) refused to feed the infant citing “religious reasons”. Doctors immediately summoned her husband Abubaker who insisted that he had given strict instructions to his wife in this regard.

The hospital staff pleaded him saying it would endanger the life of the new-born but he insisted that his first child was given breast milk after 24 hours of his birth and he was in good health. Fed up, they later summoned the police who also tried to convince him.

“The infant’s father was advised by a preacher that newborn should not be fed until he listens to all five prayers of the day,” said an official of the hospital.

Later he gave a signed affidavit saying he would be held responsible if anything goes wrong to the baby. On Thursday when Childline officials and others visited Abubaker’s house he told them that he stood to his “belief ” and fed the child on Thursday noon after the fifth prayer. He also informed them that his child was in good health. Later officials of the social welfare department visited his house and submitted a report to the district collector.