Tribal woman held for killing newborn at Chaliyar

MALAPPURAM: The Nilambur police on Tuesday  arrested a tribal woman at  Chaliyar for killing and burying her new-born baby girl on Saturday.  The local residents of Valamthode colony had filed a complaint with the police on the alleged missing of the baby for the past few days. The accused P. Sharada, 35, admitted the crime after she was questioned in police custody.

She has been living alone in a shanty in the colony after her  husband died two years ago. A police team  led by Malappuram Narcotic Cell DySP P. Balan found the  body of the child in the shanty. The body was later sent to Kozhikode Medical College for autopsy.   The police registered a case of  murder and for destroying evidence against Sharada.

According to the police,  Sharada, who was impregnated by her  lover, gave birth to the  baby girl  at the Public Health Centre at Mukkam on May 30. Due to the low weight  of the child, both were referred to Kozhikode MCH for further treatment and were  discharged from the hospital on Saturday.

Sharada reached the colony with her baby packed in a big shopper to conceal the birth.  However, the colony residents were aware of the birth and asked her about the child after it went missing on Sunday. Sharada  admitted to the police that she had strangulated the baby and buried her  fearing dishonour.  The police  also questioned a man from the colony for the alleged connection with Sharada,  but he was later let off.