Suspected case of female infanticide, probe on in Namakkal

C Kasthuri, 27, wife of C Surya, 28, from Erumapatty delivered a baby girl on April 4 at Namakkal Government Hospital. A day after delivery, the couple left the hospital without informing the doctors, police said. Then, Kasthuri stayed in the house of her mother in Pottireddipatti village. 

The couple already had two daughters aged six and four and was desperate for a boy, but was upset after it turned out to be a girl. 

Meanwhile, Namakkal GH authorities alerted the staff of Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Erumapatty to check the whereabouts of the couple, who left the hospital without informing doctors or authorities. 

After inquiries, the PHC staff found out that the baby had died and it was buried by the family members early on April 13. Though the family members claimed that the baby died unexpectedly due to some ailment, the PHC staff lodged a complaint with Erumapatty police seeking a probe into the mysterious death of the child. 

Therefore, the police exhumed the body of the baby in the presence of officials from the Revenue Department and doctors from the government hospital on Wednesday morning. A post mortem was performed and the body was buried. 

Police officials said that the exact reason for the death of the baby would be known only after post mortem reports come.