ARIYALUR: The Meensurutti police on Wednesday secured an 18-year-old woman and four members of her family for allegedly murdering her month-old baby girl and burying her in the house backyard.
According to police, the parents of the accused, in 2023 discovered their then minor daughter was pregnant. They also learned that U Anbu Durai (21) of the same village was behind the sexual assault. Based on a complaint, the Jayankondam all-women police booked Durai under the POCSO Act and arrested him.
The victim gave birth to a baby girl on March 29, 2024. On information, the police visited woman’s house and instructed her to appear before the police station for DNA testing along with the baby on April 29.
The woman and her parents, however, lodged a complaint with the Meensurutti police on the night of April 28 saying that the baby was missing. A special police team then began a search for the infant. Investigation revealed that the baby was murdered by her mother and family members, the police added.
After interrogation the woman and family members allegedly confessed to murdering the baby and burying her in their house backyard the same night they lodged the complaint.
On Wednesday, the police exhumed the baby’s body in the presence of Jayankondam Tahsildar Rahman and sent it to the Jayankondam government hospital for post-mortem. The accused were taken to the police station for further inquiries.