Relatives Also Arrested for Killing Baby Girl
This Tragic Case Calls for Stronger Laws to Protect Infants
04 September 2024, Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
Team PaaLoNaa
In Vellore, Tamil Nadu, a shocking case of female infanticide has emerged. Four people, including the parents of a nine-day-old baby girl, have been arrested. This incident highlights severe gender bias in rural India. Meera Marti from WAIC provided this information to PaaLoNaa.
Timeline of Events
- August 27, 2024: The baby girl was born at Odukathur Primary Health Centre.
- September 4, 2024: The baby’s body was secretly buried. An FIR was filed that day.
- September 5, 2024: The body was exhumed for a postmortem.
- September 6, 2024: The parents, C. Jeeva (30) and J. Diana (25), and two others were arrested by the Veppankulam police.
Parents did not want another girl:
Jeeva and Diana, from Bomankottai hamlet, Serpadi village, poisoned their newborn daughter. They did not want another girl. They already had a two-year-old daughter. Jeeva confessed to using cactus sap to poison the baby. They feared financial strain from having another daughter. The postmortem revealed severe blood clots and traces of a blue chemical, suggesting additional violence.
The Investigation and Arrest
Diana’s father, P. Saravanan, reported the crime. The Veppankulam police investigated and exhumed the body. The postmortem confirmed poisoning and possible trauma. On September 6, Jeeva, Diana, Jeeva’s mother C. Baby (55), and relative N. Umapathy (50) were arrested. Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi and local authorities acted swiftly. Judge Satya Kumar sent all four accused in judicial custody.
Let’s Work Together to Raise Awareness: Collector Subbulaxmi
We must come together to support initiatives like safe surrender programs and the Cradle Scheme. These programs provide crucial alternatives to abandonment and ensure that every newborn receives the care and protection they deserve.
I urge everyone to familiarize themselves with the safe surrender options available in our region. Remember, there are designated facilities, such as CWC and childcare institutions, where parents can safely surrender their newborns without fear of legal consequences. It is a compassionate and responsible choice that can make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable infants.
Urgent Need for societal and legal change
The Vellore tragedy underscores the urgent need for societal and legal change. To prevent gender-based violence and infanticide, we must raise awareness and strengthen laws. Authorities and community leaders need to act now to protect the lives of newborns in India.
PaaLoNaa, dedicated to preventing infanticide and unsafe abandonment, urges the government to introduce the Infant Protection Act. This proposed legislation aims to safeguard newborns from gender-based violence and infanticide. We call on everyone to support this cause and advocate for the protection of every newborn child.
Also read- Baby boy discovered near a railway track In a heart-wrenching incident, a newborn baby was discovered abandoned near a railway track in Devadhanam, Trichy, on Sunday afternoon. This tragic event underscores the critical need for awareness and intervention, which are at the core of the PaaLoNaa campaign’s mission to prevent infanticide and the unsafe abandonment of newborns in India.