Dharmapuri: Female infanticide and foeticide continue in rural Dharmapuri despite the efforts of the district administration to eradicate the menace. Between 2009-2014, Dharmapuri recorded 15 cases of suspicious deaths, seven were proved to be female infanticide and the accused were booked.
“Fifteen cases have been registered and seven of them have proved to be that of female infanticide and the accused booked,” said Mr J. Loganathan, superintendent of police for Dharmapuri. He added that the police found, during its probe, that people who already have one or two daughters commit the crime.
Dharmapuri collector K. Vivekanandan told DC that female infanticide and foeticide have declined when compared to the period before the introduction of cradle baby centre in Dharmapuri. The centre has so far received more than 1,300 babies, including a few male newborns, since it was established in 2003.
Awareness meetings in schools for girls and street plays are held in places where female infanticide is practised. School girls and local people are asked to give information if any incidents occur in their village. Village health nurses who take pre- and post-natal care of pregnant mothers keep track of girl babies and inform the revenue authorities in case of a death.
Besides, the girl child protection scheme and marriage assistance for girls who have completed plus-two and above have saved many girls from death.
In Dharmapuri, the police registered a case against a lady doctor after she was found violating the pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic Act.
The Dharmapuri police arrested Vediappan, 33, of Thirupathur, in Vellore district. He was booked after N. Renuka, 44, a quack practising at Papparapatti, near Dharmapuri, was arrested for conducting abortions for women in the surrounding areas of Papparapatti. Renuka was booked after M. Vanitha, 32, of Papparapatti, a mother of two daughters, was admitted to the Dharmapuri government medical college and hospital here.
When questioned, Vanitha informed the police that the quack had aborted a five-month-old girl foetus because she already had two girls and expected the third to be a male. The police arrested Vanitha’s husband Mani and the Renuka on charges of foeticide.
