Infanticide -An overview

About Author

Correspondence Address

C/O Mr. Vinod Bdage House ,Gali no 3 , Vishwakarma nagar , Nagpur
Contact No. : 8007355376, Email : poojadeshmukh767@gmail.com

Date of Acceptance : 17 Dec 2023

Date of Publication : 31 Dec 2023

Article ID : SD-IJAY_042

How to cite this article : " http://doi.org/10.55552/SDNJAY.2023.1213"

Abstract

Infanticide means unlawful destruction of newly born child (Therefore it refers to killing a child after delivery to till 1  year  after birth.) It is punishable under section 302 IPC .Infanticide is not new in India,Earlier it was common and widely spread in society.

Nowadays we can see infanticide ,particularly against girls (female nfanticide)  Its been unethical crime however it is still performed in many regions.

Causes can be unwanted pregnancies , Poverty , dowry system ,  deformed infants , lack of support services , maternal illness such as postpartum depression, child marriage, illiteracy, patriarchy .It is a practice that have proven difficult to root out. There is need for holistic services for women’s , including counselling , support for families and impact on  child welfare as well as empowering women who find themselves dealing with an unwanted pregnancy.

Introduction

Infanticide means unlawful demolition of new born child (hence it refers to killing a child after delivery to till 1 year  after birth.) It is punishable under section 302 Indian Penal Code. Infanticide is not new in India , Earlier it was ordinary  and broadly spread in society. Nowadays we can see infanticide ,particularly against girls (female infanticide)  Its been unethical crime however it is still performed in many regions. It can be due to unwanted pregnancies , Poverty , dowry system , deformed infants , lack of support services , maternal illness such as postpartum depression , child marriage, illiteracy, patriarchy .It is a practice that have proven difficult to root out. There is need for holistic services for women’s  ,including counselling , support for families and impact on  child welfare as well as accreditation to  women who find themselves dealing with an unwanted  pregnancy.

Discussion

In India, more stress factors exist for a larger proportion of the population, and hence, the prevalence is likely to be highest. There is also lack of facility of psychiatric assessment in antenatal period. In the event of an infanticide, we should have awareness about it and its magnitude to prevent punishment for an act which on the contrary requires rehabilitation and treatment. Ideally, we should be able to provide antenatal psychiatric screening to all women, identify those likely to have PND and offer counselling as to how to handle the postnatal period.

The motive usually is to get rid of any illegitimate child or to get rid of a  child when the parents are too poor to support or due to certain  customs prevalence in different committees when the female child is destroys.

             In earlier days in India, female infanticide is more because of poverty, the dowry system and illegal pregnancy, lack of medical services, maternal illness, and lack of education. There is no support for girl children; they are treated as a loss to the family. So they get killed intentionally and used different methods to kill the girl child, for such offences there is no stringent punishment under the Law and also it is difficult to prove.

               Government schemes came after to save the girl child, to educate the girl child, for their marriage and also during pregnancy. The government also provided funds to the upliftment of the women’s children in society. Determination of the sex of the child and unwanted abortions was prohibited and punishable under the law. Illegal termination of the child was termed to be an offense under MTP Act if it is necessary to be terminated prior permission from the Registered Medical Practitioner need to be obtained.

              Even after so many schemes and acts enacted by the Government, Infanticide couldn’t be stopped, but after tremendous efforts by the officials it is lessened in some places, and in other regions, people tend to hide the crime.

Conclusion

This review sum ups  the data related to causes , medicolegal aspect and laws related to infanticide.

References

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