MADURAI: A 31-day-old baby girl died on March 2 night after her parents fed her erukam paal (extract of Calotropis procera), said police investigating the reported infanticide near Usilampatti. Three persons -- her parents and paternal grandfather -- were arrested on Thursday, a day after the investigation began.
According to sources, 22-year-old Sowmiya, wife of 37-year-old Vairamurugan of P Meenakshipatti, gave birth to their second child on January 30 at the Chellampatti PHC. “The couple was not happy that their second child was also a girl. On March 2, they administered her erukam paal.” said the police inspector. The body of the baby was exhumed in the presence of Usilampatti Tahsildar Senthamarai on Thursday afternoon.