Parents Killed Third Female Child The Day She Was Born

A child, being supremely important national asset, should be nurtured. This is more so in case of female child. The commission of offence on a female child, that too, on an infant of not even one day old, is a serious offence, requiring no lesser punishment than the life imprisonment. It is unfortunate that for one reason or other, the practice of female infanticide still prevails despite the fact that gentle touch of a daughter and her voice has soothing effect on the parents. The traditional practice of female infanticide by poisoning continues despite several legislations to prevent crime. These observations have been made by a Division Bench of Madras High Court while upholding conviction and sentence against the accused parents who after given birth to a third female child killed her by administering Madar Poison on the same day evening. [2008 Criminal Law Journal 1885]