The Hindu : Two women held on charge of infanticide

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 30, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Two women held on charge of infanticide

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, MARCH 29. Two women have allegedly killed their infants in separate incidents on the city outskirts. While worry of bringing up a girl child forced a receptionist, Sridevi (21), to kill her 49-day-old second daughter, Kirtana, by drowning her in a water tub, another woman, Susheela (26), poisoned her one-month-old stepson to death fearing that the he would demand a share in the property when grown up.

Sridevi, along with her electrician husband, Krishna (28) and two daughters -- Rajeshwari (1) and Kirtana (49 days), is staying with her parents at Srinivasanagar colony in Ramchandrapuram. The couple is finding it difficult to make both ends meet as its earning is meagre. On the night of March 21, Krishna lodged a complaint with the Ramchandrapuram police stating that Kirthana was found dead in a water tub outside their house.

However, the police suspected foul play. "The needle of suspicion pointed towards Sridevi as she could not give satisfactory answers to our questions," the Inspector, M. Srinivas, said. "Sridevi claimed that she went outside after leaving the baby in the cradle. Ten minutes later, she returned only to find the baby missing. It was surprising that none of them checked the water tub," the Inspector said.

"There was no motive for others to kill the baby as no property was lost. Initially, Sridevi pleaded ignorance, but today she confessed to have killed the infant," Mr. Srinivas said.

She was arrested on charge of killing the girl.

In another incident, Susheela wife of a farmer, Korra Raju, killed her stepson by poisoning him this morning. A resident of Begumpeta thanda in Kandukuru mandal of Ranga Reddy district, Raju, married Susheela 12 years ago. As he did not have children with Susheela, Raju married another woman, Sakri, five years ago. Subsequently, both Susheela and Sakri gave birth to children.

"Susheela was worried that Sakri's son would demand a share in the property of eight acres agricultural land owned by Raju in the future. She administered insecticide to the infant who died at a private hospital", the Pahadisharieff Inspector, P. Ramulu, said. Susheela was taken into custody on charges of killing the boy.

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Andhra Pradesh