Newborn boy found partially buried in tea estate

Labourers had gone to pluck tea leaves at a tea estate in Gundupettu Colony near Kotagiri, when they were shocked to see parts of legs and hands of a baby protruding out of the loose soil.

On receiving information, the Kotagiri police, led by Inspector Velmurugan, Revenue Inspector Poovendran and other Revenue Department officials, rushed to the spot and held an inspection. The police then retrieved the body of the baby and sent it for a post-mortem at Kotagiri Government Hospital. The police and Health Department staff have begun to question residents in nearby Kettkambai and Gundupettu areas to trace out the parents of the baby. An inquiry is also underway at the Primary Health Centres in the neighbourhood and staff of government hospital to know if someone delivered recently. “We suspect the baby to be born only few hours ago. A probe is on to find out if the baby was buried alive after it was born out of an illegal affair or if it has been dumped as it was born dead,” said a cop.