Conjoined twins' father asks for mercy killing

For Mohammed Shakeel, the only way for his Siamese twin daughters to be relieved of their suffering is for them to die.

Shakeel and his family are pleading to the Indian government to allow a mercy killing on 15-year-old conjoined twins Saba and Farah, so they do not have to endure any more physical pain, The Telegraph reported.

Both girls have been described as having headaches, joint pain and slurred speech.

According to the Telegraph, the family was not able to pay for the medical expenses since turning down an offer of surgery from Sheikh Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan. It was through Sheikh Mohammad's involvement that allowed the girls to be examined by surgeons in New Delhi five years ago.

There, it was discovered the twins shared an important blood vessel in the brain, and Farah has two kidneys and Saba had none.

Surgery to separate the twins would have take five or six procedures over nine months with each operation carrying a 20 percent chance that one of them may die.

Farah and Saba's father--who couldn't bear to lose one of the daughters five years ago, despite doctors' advice that they could live 10-15 more years -- reportedly said in June that the girls' lives had become unbearable and that they should be permitted to die.

Shakeel, who works at a tea stall, has a family of eight and makes about $105 (U.S. dollars) a month.

"The girls want to live and enjoy life as others do but when they are in pain, they cry and ask for help," Shakeel said. "All we want is either the government should come and help us treat them or allow them to die, because they are in a miserable condition."