Female infanticide: Woman, mother-in-law held near Andipatti

Two women, including a mother, were arrested near Andipatti in Theni district on Thursday after being charged with female infanticide.

The accused have been identified as Kavitha (29), wife of Suresh, from Othaveedu, Ramanathapuram, KP Patty Village, Andipatti taluk; and Chellammal (54), her mother-in-law, sources said.

Based on a complaint lodged by Mottanuthu Village Administrative Officer, Devi, Rajathani police filed a case against the duo under Section 174 of the CrPC on Wednesday night.

Investigations carried out by the Rajathani police revealed that the six-day-old female infant was allegedly poisoned to death by the duo on March 2. Since circumstances surrounding the infant’s death and burial place remain shrouded in mystery, some neighbours earlier informed District Child Welfare Committee and Child Line of the death.

Sub Inspector of Police Savariyammal Devi said it was the third female baby delivered by Kavitha at Theni Government Medical College Hospital on February 26 and discharged on February 28.

Referring to confessions made by Kavitha, the SI said since the family, whose breadwinner is a construction worker, of the accused was stuck in poverty, she poisoned the infant with intent to kill her. The body was buried close to a wall of the house after the infant’s death at 9 pm as claimed by Kavitha.

The Mottanuthu VAO said the infant’s death came to light when the Child Welfare Committee submitted a petition at 4 pm on Wednesday, eventually after raising suspicion about the death. In any case of such death, it should have been properly informed to the VAO. But, no such information was passed from the family, the VAO said.

On Thursday, a post-mortem was done after the body was exhumed in the presence of Andipatti Tahsildar Chandrasekar and Andipatti Deputy Superintendent of Police S Srinivasan, the VAO said.