Man helps wife deliver baby at home in Tamil Nadu, to face action
DINDIGUL: A man helped his wife deliver a baby at home allegedly with the assistance of unidentified persons through a video call at Gopalpatti in Dindigul district on Thursday night. While the mother and newborn are safe, the health department has lodged a complaint against the couple with the Sanarpatti police in this regard.
According to sources, Gajendran (32), who works as a branch manager at a nationalised bank in Gopalpatti, and his wife Sathya (26), a native of Hosur and a government school teacher, refused to go to any hospital for delivery despite health department officials' repeated insistence, and instead, opted for home birth.
On Thursday morning, Sathya developed labour pain. Though health department staff, including District Health Officer (DHO) Dr R Selvakumar, advised the couple to avoid home birth, Gajendran did not pay heed, and locked their house. Following this, a team of health staff waited outside with an ambulance to handle any possible emergencies. Fortunately, the team heard the baby's cries around 7.30 pm. When Gajendran opened the door, a doctor went inside and confirmed that both the mother and baby were safe, sources said.
Speaking to TNIE, DHO Dr Selvakumar said the health department has already lodged a complaint against the couple with the Sanarpatti police. "Gajendran said that he had performed the delivery with the help of unidentified persons through a video call. He was a member of three WhatsApp groups, where he was taught the methodology of naturopathy. He claimed that child birth is a natural process, and there was no need to follow hospital procedures. We have recovered two books about natural delivery from their house. It is learnt that people from different locations, including Chennai and Vellore, offered them guidance," he said.
A report will be submitted to the director of health department for collective state-level action in this regard, Selvakumar said, adding that Sathya, who had come to Gopalpatti from Hosur three months ago, had repeatedly refused to go to hospital for vaccination and check-ups.
"Sathya had also lodged a complaint with the Sanarpatti police against the health department staff. I personally met the couple 10 days ago and explained the significance of safe delivery, but to no avail. Hence, I lodged a complaint against them with the Sanarpatti police," Selvakumar said.
Police sources said that Sathya had submitted a letter to the Sanarpatti police station, stating that with her consent, Gajendran will be performing her delivery. As both the mother and baby are safe, the police have not registered any case against Gajendran, sources added.