Following the report about a shocking case of female infanticide in New Delhi, Delhi Police made their first arrest on Sunday in connection with the incident. The arrested individual, identified as Vijender Solanki, is the father-in-law of the woman whose female twins were allegedly taken, killed, and buried by her husband and his family.
The woman’s husband, Neeraj Solanki, along with other family members, has fled and locked their residence in Pooth Kalan village, outer Delhi. Police are conducting raids to apprehend the remaining suspects. On Sunday, police also took statements from the woman, Pooja, and her family. Pooja’s family has accused the in-laws of planning the babies’ killing. Police, with judicial orders, exhumed the bodies for investigation.
Pooja, originally from Ismaila village in Rohtak district, Haryana, and her family visited Sultanpuri police station on Sunday. She informed the police that she married Neeraj on February 2, 2022. Allegations of dowry harassment and torture have been raised by her family, along with a detailed account of the events leading to the incident. An inquiry by the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) is underway.
Vijender Solanki was arrested after hours of questioning on Sunday. While he denied involvement and claimed the babies died due to illness, investigators noted inconsistencies, such as why the newborns were separated from the mother.
Police are preparing a comprehensive chargesheet and await autopsy and medical reports. This case highlights the issue of female infanticide in India, a crime that, despite being illegal, remains under-reported. A 2016 report by the NGO Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) identified son preference as a leading cause of female infanticide, indicating a troubling trend in India’s gender dynamics.
Under Indian law, Section 315 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines infanticide as the act of unlawfully causing the death of an infant within the age group of 0 to 1 year. This offense is classified as cognizable and non-bailable. Additionally, in India, the Pre-conception and Prenatal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act strictly prohibits any form of sex selection or disclosure of the sex of the foetus.
