How Indian Midwives Turned from Killers to Protectors
In a small town in Bihar, India, a tearful reunion takes place between Indian midwife Siro Devi and Monica Thatte, a woman in her late 20s. Siro, who delivered hundreds of babies, wasn’t just responsible for Monica’s birth. She may have saved her life.
Three decades ago, midwives like Siro were forced to commit unimaginable acts. Under pressure from parents, these rural midwives were ordered to kill newborn girls, seen as financial burdens in a society where dowry customs weighed heavily. The horrifying practice was common in India’s Katihar district, where families would demand the death of daughters, citing poverty and dowry debts.
“I killed 12 or 13 babies,” admitted Hakiya Devi, the eldest midwife interviewed in 1996. Another midwife, Dharmi Devi, confessed to killing at least 15-20 infants. Over 1,000 baby girls were estimated to be murdered yearly by just 35 midwives in the district.
Trapped by tradition and poverty, these midwives—most from India’s lower castes—were often threatened with violence. They had no recourse to refuse the orders of powerful families. “The family would lock the room and stand behind us with sticks,” said Hakiya.
The preference for sons, driven by the dowry system, meant girls were seen as a curse. “A boy is above the ground, higher. A daughter is below—lower,” Siro explained, reflecting on the deeply entrenched gender bias.
But in the late 1990s, a small but significant change began. Anila Kumari, a local social worker, confronted the midwives with a simple yet powerful question: “Would you do this to your own daughter?” Her words, paired with financial aid through community groups, helped break the cycle of violence.
The midwives, once complicit in the killings, began to resist. “Now, whoever asks me to kill, I tell them: ‘Give me the child, and I’ll take her to Anila Madam,’” Siro shared. At least five girls were rescued and sent to an NGO in Patna, where most were adopted.
Monica is one of the girls believed to have been saved from death, thanks to the bravery of these midwives and Anila’s efforts.
Today, as Monica returns to her birthplace, Siro Devi’s tears are a reminder of a painful past—and a testament to the lives that were spared.
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