Collector orders probe into suspected female infanticide

The Tiruvannamalai Collector has ordered a probe into a suspected case of female infanticide, in which a newborn baby girl was burnt by her parents in a village in Chengam taluk on Saturday.

The police have registered a case of suspicious death and are conducting further investigations.

According to the police, Sivakumar, 35, a farmer and his wife Vendha, 28, are residents of Pacchal village, Chengam taluk, Tiruvannamalai district. They have two daughters aged 9 and 7.

When Vendha became pregnant for the third time, she visited the Melpenathur public health centre for check-ups. On the advice of the village health nurse (VHN), she was admitted to the Government Hospital in Tiruvannamalai on May 23, for delivery.

She was delivered of a girl the next day.

The police said the newborn weighed over 2 kg and was healthy.

Refused sterilisation

As the baby was their third child, the hospital staff suggested sterilisation, but Vendha was not willing.

“She and her husband went missing from the hospital on May 26 evening. They went to their village in an autorickshaw,” said a police officer.

On the way back to their village, they allegedly burnt the baby in a paddy field belonging to them, he added.

“The VHN had been trying to reach Vendha to enquire about the baby’s health, but she did not attend the call. On Monday, the nurse found out about the baby’s death and alerted her superiors. On receiving the information, Collector K.S. Kandaswamy ordered an investigation,” the officer added.

During interrogation, the couple informed the police that the baby was healthy when they left the hospital. However, they claimed that she became unconscious during the journey.

“Thinking that the child was dead, they burnt the baby,” the officer said.

Not a stray incident

Meanwhile, the Collector said that this was not a lone incident. “Recently we came across a case in Tiruvannamalai where the parents claimed that their eight-month-old baby girl choked to death while drinking milk. Paediatricians claim this is not possible at all. Hence, we will be investigating this case too,” said the collector.

He has also directed the Integrated Child Development Services staff and VHNs to take data of recently born babies and enquire about their condition. “They have been asked to report suspicious deaths and such cases will be subjected to police investigation,” he added.