INDIA Tamil Nadu sets up special police task force against female foeticide and infanticide

The initiative is a response to the recent case of the killing of a little girl. The incident was reported by the child's grandfather, who found the explanation given by his daughter for the death suspicious. Catholic doctor welcomes initiative: “Urgently needed” to promote “value and dignity” of women from conception.

Delhi (AsiaNews) – A special task force has been set up to investigate cases of female infanticide and female foeticide in Vellore. This initiative was launched by the government of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu in response to a recent case that came to the media attention in which a couple was arrested after the death of their daughter.

According to the city district police, 28-year-old Jeeva and his 20-year-old wife Dayana from Yeliur village in Vellore district were arrested on September 6 for allegedly poisoning the child.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint from Saravanan, Dayana's father and the victim's grandfather, who had approached the local police station (Sho) in Veppankulam after he became suspicious about the cause of death.

Interview by AsiaNewsDr Pascoal Carvalho, member of the Human Life Committee (AHLC) of the Archdiocese of Delhi and former member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, welcomes the initiative as it is “urgent” to promote the “value and dignity” of women from conception.

Recalling that the Church celebrates the birthday of Mary, the mother of Jesus, on September 8, he reiterates the importance of combating widespread practices such as “infanticide and fetokilling of girls.” And he reiterates his opposition to sex determination tests and selective abortions, hoping for “a change in consciousness” in the country and valuing protection and safeguarding programs such as Tamil Nadu's Cradle Baby Scheme for abandoned children.

This was made possible by the courageous report of the little victim's grandfather, who was not convinced by his daughter's account that the newborn girl had died of nose and ear bleeding.

After the investigation, the parents admitted that they killed her because they “expected the second child to be a boy.” Now, the police have ordered the formation of a special unit to investigate all the deaths of young girls recorded in the state last year.

In the past, there have been several cases of fetal death or infanticide in Vellore district. According to statistics, at least one or two deaths were due to milk consumption (as per the official version) and all of them involved girls.

The district administration had already sent a letter to doctors classifying the second daughters as “high-risk babies” and asking them to examine them weekly for at least a month. The authorities have also instructed all hospitals to monitor the progress of the births and send a team of village nurses and technicians to check on the girls.

The state health department has also stepped up enforcement of the Pre-Conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques Act (Pcpndt), 1994 to curb female fetishes, in addition to cracking down on illegal screening centres used for sex determination.

A few years ago, 22 such centres were closed in Tiruvannamalai district, also in Tamil Nadu. After Vellore police registered a case of infanticide of Jeeva and Dayana, the special team of police will now finally review the cases of abortion and medication abortion (MTP) in every district in the last one year.