HOSUR: The alleged sale of a newborn female baby in a remote hill hamlet in Denkanikotta taluk in Krishnagiri district has raised questions over the plight of girl children in the State.
Sources said Salathammal (23), wife of Perumal (29) of Pandurangan Doddi, delivered the child a few days ago at the Anchetty Primary Health Centre.As they already have two girls, they were not very keen on having another girl as they struggling to meet both ends meet. At this stage, a nurse serving a primary health centre in the locality advised them to sell the child. She found a couple in Hosur who were willing to buy the child for `30,000. However, though the infant was sold, the couple received only `20,000, the sources said.
The nurse has been involved in selling two female infants of other couples in the same area, the sources added According to Health Department rules, staff attached to PHCs should track the health and condition of newborn children. In view of the practice of female infanticide in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, the government has instructed the Health Department staff to monitor the status of newborn female babies. Salathammal’s child should also have been monitored by the Health Department staff.
Now, with strong rumours about the sale of the child in Pandurangan Doddi, the public expect the district administration to conduct an inquiry and find the truth of the matter.