They had administered poison to their girl
child in August 2001
They buried the body near their house
Prosecution provides clinching evidence
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has confirmed the life imprisonment
awarded to a couple, which had administered ‘madar’ (erukkam) poison to
their newborn girl baby.
Lamenting the wide prevalence of infanticide, a Division Bench
comprising Justice D. Murugesan and Justice V. Periya Karuppiah said
the offence committed by Anjala and Gopal of Namakkal district did not
deserve any lesser punishment.
The couple administered ‘madar’ poison to the newborn in August 2001,
as it was their third girl child.
They buried the baby near their house. It came to light after the
village administrative officer lodged a complaint nearly a week after
the incident. The body was exhumed and the post-mortem conducted in the
presence of the Tiruchengode tahsildar.
The offence was conclusively proved by a forensic examination. The
Namakkal Fast Track Court sentenced the couple to life in 2005, holding
them guilty of murder.
Relying on clinching circumstantial evidence, the Judges noted that the
claim that Anjala did not conceive was strong evidence in support of
the prosecution case. Secondly, the accused had buried the child near
their house, that too without informing any villager.
Additional evidence
The conduct is also additional evidence to the prosecution case, the
Judges said.
Referring to the opinion of the forensic expert, the Judges said there
was absolutely no evidence to dispute the findings. They added that the
evidence of an expert was admissible under Section 45 of the Evidence
Act.
The Bench also referred to the submissions of other witnesses such as
the village health nurse and neighbours.
Before directing the Fast Track Court to take steps to secure the
parents to serve the remaining period of sentence, the Bench observed,
“It is unfortunate that for one reason or the other, the practice of
female infanticide still prevails…A child, being supremely important
national asset, should be nurtured. This is more so in the case of a
female child.”
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/06/stories/2008020654410100.htm
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© 2008, The Hindu.
