KRISHNAGIRI: Eighty days after delivering a baby girl, a 14-year-old child marriage victim died due to health complications in a tribal area near Bidiretty village in Denkanikottai. The death came to light when health personnel from Kelamangalam block tried to contact her recently as part of a mandatory post-delivery follow-up procedure.
Sources told TNIE that several months ago, a team from Kelamangalam health department learnt that Saranya (name changed), a minor tribal girl, was eight months pregnant. They visited Saranya and after much struggle, shifted her to Government Krishnagiri Medical College Hospital (GKMCH) in June. However, she slipped away from the hospital after four days.
With the support of health department staff and police, the officials again visited Saranya in her village and convinced her to get admitted to Government Dharmapuri Medical College Hospital (GDMCH) in the same month. But, she fled from this hospital too.
During her time at GKMCH, she was diagnosed with severe anaemia, gestational diabetes mellitus and heart disease. “In July first week, Saranya delivered a baby girl at Denkanikottai GH. She was then referred to GKMCH, but again she left the facility,” a source said. It is also alleged that Saranya’s parents were not initially aware of her marriage.
District Social Welfare Officer R Sakthi Subhashini and District Child Protection Officer Saravanan told TNIE that they were unaware of the incident. Krishnagiri SP P Thangadurai said he would inquire into the matter.