Calcutta, Nov.22 :    Calcutta, Nov.22:  In a classic case of believe it or not, a malformed foetus was found in the lower abdomen of a 40-day-old baby boy in Howrah, on Wednesday. The child, Shiva, had been born at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital on October 9 to Dharma and Rezia Rao. When the doctors first detected the lump in Shiva's abdomen, they put it down to a 'tumour'. Only after an operation was conducted on Wednesday afternoon - at Alpha Nursing Home and Child Care Centre, opposite Howrah AC Market - did the doctors realise that they were witnessing a medical marvel. From the infant's abdomen emerged a foetus weighing 230 grams. Shiva weighs 3.8 kg. 'This is a one-in-a-million case. Something I have never seen in my entire career,' said Dr Biswajit Bhaduri, consultant paediatric and neonatal surgeon, who led the team of five experts in the operation. Shiva is now in the intensive care unit at Alpha Nursing Home. He is on saline, oxygen and blood. His condition, according to the doctors, is 'semi-critical'. According to hospital records, the baby was admitted last Friday. He was vomiting constantly and his general condition was 'very poor'. He was advised a CT scan by the doctors soon after admission. When the scan detected a lump which had started 'calcifying', the doctors decided to cut the infant's abdomen open. Shiva was operated upon by Dr Bhaduri, child specialist Dr Vijay Kejriwal, anaesthetist Dr Rajesh Keri, paediatricians Dr Suchandana and Dr Swastik Nandy. According to the team, this rare occurrence is referred to as 'Feto Infoetus', a congenital abnormality. The doctors felt the embryo had developed over six weeks inside the baby's abdomen, before it stopped growing. 'The external features of the foetus show streaks of hair follicles and external projections, which would have developed into limbs, ears and forehead,' explained Dr Kejriwal. 'It was a very critical operation,' he added. 'The veins of the baby were very deep-seated under the epidermal layer and I was really worried about his post-operative condition.' As are Shiva's parents. Hailing from Ganjam district, in Orissa, Dharma is employed at Naskarpara Jute Mill in Howrah. He lives with his family in the staff quarters adjacent to the mill. Shiva was born to Rezia 13 years after their marriage. On Wednesday, Rezia was more concerned about Shiva's recovery than the 'medical marvel' that had just occurred. 'I cannot believe that Lord Jagannath would be so cruel to me,' she whispered, staring at her son on life-support systems. 'Why should I think about a child who is yet to be born?' she demanded when asked what she felt about the foetus. While the doctors could not explain the exact reason for the formation of a foetus in the baby boy's abdomen, they suggested a number of probable causes 'We are just hoping that Shiva recovers and grows up to be a healthy boy, with just a 6-cm incision on his abdomen to show for the phenomenon,' said a nurse, watching over the infant, at the Alpha Nursing Home and Child Care Centre.