Daijiworld Media Network - Malappuram
Malappuram, Apr 6: A 35-year-old woman, identified as Asma from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district, tragically passed away during a home delivery at her rented residence in East Kodur, Malappuram district, on Sunday. The newborn baby boy has been admitted to a hospital in Perumbavoor and is currently undergoing treatment.
The incident came to light after Asma’s husband, Sirajuddin, allegedly attempted to bury her body in Perumbavoor in the early hours of Sunday. Alert locals grew suspicious and informed the police, who intervened and shifted the body to Perumbavoor Taluk Hospital. A post-mortem examination has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
Asma, a mother of four, was reportedly delivering her fifth child when complications arose. According to police sources, the couple had been staying in East Kodur, where Sirajuddin, a traditional healer, frequently travelled for work.
Police said Asma’s family has raised serious allegations against her husband, accusing him of negligence and failing to shift her to a hospital in time despite heavy bleeding. A case has been registered and a detailed investigation is underway. Sirajuddin has also been hospitalized following a sudden illness, and his role in the incident is being examined, officials said.
This heartbreaking case has once again cast a spotlight on the prevalence of unassisted home deliveries in Kerala’s Malappuram district, despite the state’s advanced healthcare infrastructure.
Data obtained via RTI by Advocate Kulathur Jaisingh revealed that between 2019 and September 2024, Kerala recorded 2,931 home deliveries of which 1,244 took place in Malappuram alone. During the same period, the state reported 18 neonatal deaths, with Malappuram accounting for four.
Experts have noted that many of these home births are neither accidental nor emergency decisions, but deliberate choices influenced by cultural or social factors. In many cases, families cite previous successful home births to justify avoiding hospitals.
Authorities are now calling for stricter surveillance, community awareness programmes, and better enforcement of maternal health policies to prevent avoidable tragedies like Asma’s.