Home birth row: Police case against Mayiladuthurai couple dropped

MAYILADUTHURAI:   A police case against a couple here for allegedly shunning medical advice and resorting to a risky home birth last month has been withdrawn. The principal district and sessions court judge here was informed of the decision while recently hearing an anticipatory bail petition moved by the couple and another person named as accused in the case.

Going against medical advice for a C-section delivery, the 32-year-old woman from Erukkur near Sirkazhi went for home birth to deliver her second male child on October 4. Her husband allegedly assisted in the delivery and did not seek medical assistance.

They also allegedly refused health workers’ call for medical attention and vaccinating the newborn. The Anaikaranchathiram police subsequently booked the couple and another person under various sections of the IPC, including Section 317 (endangering the life of newborn).

The three accused then moved court for anticipatory bail. During the hearing on November 21, the counsel for the petitioners pleaded that the three are innocent and that a false case was foisted on them. It was then that the public prosecutor conveyed to the court judge that the charges against the trio have been withdrawn and added the petition has hence become “infructuous”.