Madurai (Tamil Nadu): In a shocking case of female infanticide, a four-day-old baby was killed by her father and grandmother, as they were vexed over the birth of the fourth girl child in their house.
four-day-old baby was poisoned and choked to death by her father, grandmother Chitra and Thavamani are residents of Sholavandan in Tamil Nadu's Madurai district. While the couple had three girls, the woman delivered the fourth girl child at the Government Primary Health Center, on May 6.
A few days later, the family reportedly buried the child near their home, claiming that the child died of some unknown illness.
The circumstances surrounding the death led to suspicion among the neighbours who tipped off the police.
As the information trickled out, the police and district administration swung into action. Subsequently, the Revenue Divisional Office along with police began an inquiry into the alleged incident.
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Convinced of foul play, the police on Saturday exhumed the body that was buried and an autopsy was performed.
Though initially the parents and family members claimed innocence and tried to mislead the investigation, eventually they confessed to the crime. Thavamani, the father of the deceased, spilled the beans during the sustained interrogation.
“We arrested Thavamani and his mother Pandiyammal. They had administered kallipaal, (a concoction of lethal plants which is usually administered for female infanticide),” said a senior police official privy to the statement.
"When the infant’s mother was away, both the accused, who were irked over the birth of fourth girl child in the family, killed her. The infant’s mother had no role,” the official added.
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The Sholavandan police altered the charges from suspicious death to murder, causing disappearance of evidence and for secretly burying the body. Further investigations are on.
Meanwhile, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi tweeted about this brutal murder. "The Madurai district is choking on the murder of a girl baby in Cholavanthan. What can we say about being unable to prevent such a tragedy in the 21st century?" she said.
"The government should take appropriate measures to prevent such things from happening. Continue to fight against dowry, male and female discrimination," she said in her tweets.
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