Girl born with parasitic twin struggling for survival

Nine-year-old Lakshmi Tatma, who was born with a parasitic twin that was removed after a highly-publicised operation in Bengaluru in 2007, is again facing health problems that may threaten her life, her parents say.

Lakshmi was born in 2005 with four arms and four legs in Rampur Kodarkatti village in Araria district, about 350 km from here. She was named Lakshmi as she was born on the night of Diwali, the festival dedicated to the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.

Her parasitic twin was removed after a complicated surgery at a hospital in Bengaluru in November 2007. She returned to her native village to lead a normal life. But her condition has now deteriorated.

Lakshmi's poor parents are seeking help for her medical treatment, saying she was again facing health problems that may threaten her life.

"My daughter Lakshmi is not well. She urgently needs medical treatment. We are worried about her health problem but cannot do anything," said Lakshmi's father Sambhu, who works as a labourer.

Sambhu said Lakshmi has been suffering for months as some fluids are leaking from the spot where she was operated.

"Lakshmi developed this problem last year and now she cannot sit in her classroom for long due to pain. The cold weather has added to her problems," he said.

Sambhu said he was a poor man and will not be able to take Lakshmi again to Bengaluru for treatment.

"You can imagine my condition as her school fees for the last three months are still pending. It's not possible for me to arrange rail tickets for Bengaluru," he said.

Lakshmi's mother Poonam said the doctors who operated on her told her at that time that she would require another operation after eight years.

"We don't know what to do for her operation again," she said.

Sambhu said an NGO in Rajasthan helped Lakhsmi after her unique case was widely reported by the media in 2007.

Soon after Lakshmi was born with eight limbs and two torsos fused at the hip, some villagers believed she had divine powers and was an incarnation of the Hindu goddess.

Lakshmi's idol was installed in the village at that time, and many villagers, particularly women, started worshipping her.

But after she returned to the village like a normal child, the villagers were not ready to accept that she was the same child.

(Imran Khan can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in)