The police exhumed the body of the infant on Thursday and sent it for autopsy.
A shocking case of female infanticide of a five-day-old baby has taken place near Andipatti in Theni district recently. The police have arrested the infant’s mother and grandmother in connection with the crime.
According to the police, Kavitha (29) and Suresh live in Ramanathapuram village near Andipatti with their two daughters and Suresh’s mother Chellamma (58). Kavitha delivered a baby on February 26 in a nearby government hospital and was discharged on February 28. “When the local health workers went to check on Kavitha and the baby on March 3, they were told that the baby died due to health issues. On further questioning, the workers were not satisfied with the replies given by Kavitha and Chellamma and hence they approached the District Collector with a complaint,” a police officer connected with the case told TNM.
Based on the orders of the Collector, the police conducted an inquiry with Kavitha and Chellamma, who allegedly confessed to having buried the baby near their house. “During investigation, we realised that the couple already had two daughters and hence we grilled the accused on that angle and they confessed that they had killed the baby by administering a herbal concoction,” the officer added.
Based on further instructions from the Collector, the police exhumed the body of the baby on Thursday and sent it for autopsy to Theni government hospital. The police have also arrested Kavitha and Chellamma in connection with the case.
“We have altered the FIR to crime under section 302 [Murder] of the IPC. We are in the process of remanding the accused. Meanwhile, the baby’s father Suresh works in Kerala and has not visited Theni since the baby was born. However, we are probing his role also, and if he is found to have any role, we will arrest him as well,” the police officer explained.
Source: The News Minute