IMPHAL, Feb 24: Infanticide cases are on the rise in the state.
Maibam Rojit, father of the abandoned baby girl who was found from Iroishemba Chinjin and the main accused in the case had been arrested by the police and had been sent to judicial custody for 14 days after he was produced before the chief judicial magistrate by Lamphel police yesterday.
32 years old Rojit is a resident of Malom Tuliyaima.
It may be mentioned that the baby girl was found by locals of Iroisemba area at about 2 pm last Friday. The child had deformed feet and hands and was later handed over to authorities of the Social Welfare Department on the same day.
According to Child Welfare Officer (CWO) of the department, Binobala Nongmeikapam the child was given immediate medical aid at JNIMS but later succumbed in the evening.
Talking to IFP, the CWO stated that there has been a rise in such cases of newly born babies being abandoned by parents.
“Abandoning a child is a crime, technically under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 under section 317, abandoning a child under 12 years of age by parents or those who have care of a child is a criminal offence”, she said.
Further, she stated that every child has the right to be cared by his or her parents.
Under Section 23 of The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000, “Whoever, having the actual charge of, or control over a juvenile or child, assaults, exposes or willfully neglects the juvenile or causes or procures the child to be assaulted, abandoned, exposes or neglected in a manner likely to cause the child unnecessary mental or physical suffering shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months”.
The CWO highlighted that there is a much needed convergence across various sectors in the government as well as society at large to ensure that all children come under the protective umbrella of the state and the community.
“Ensuring the protection of children requires concerted commitment and co-ordination among various stakeholders”, she added.
She appealed that parents should explore possibilities before committing such a heinous act of abandoning a baby. Mentioning that parents should approach the government departments to avail schemes which would support in bringing up the child or even legally surrender the child for adoption, the right to life of every child has to be ensured, she stated.
She also highlighted that health related authorities especially those at Nursing Homes should be alert and keep a vigil on mothers who deliver babies with deformities.
The Supreme Court of India in the Laxmi Kant Pandey vs Union of India case directed all nursing homes and hospitals which come across abandoned and destitute children to immediately give information to Social Welfare department.
It may be noted that in November last year, in a similar case, a physically deformed child being abandoned by his parents was rescued and has been since then being taken care of at Sishu Greh established under the Social Welfare department. The baby is a healthy boy now.
In a similar note, Lamphel OC, Ingocha who received the FIR filed by the CWO in the stated case said, “There has been tremendous advancement in medical sciences, children with deformities can be operated, public should know that abandoning a child is punishable under the law”.
Ingocha further stated that the accused father of the abandoned girl child M Rojit is presently in judicial custody and has been charged under section 315 of the Indian Penal Code and if convicted could be sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The co-accused in the case, sister in law of Rojit, Sakila Sahani and mother M Rani Devi have been released on bail following medical reasons.