‘Don’t ignore dumped bodies of new born children’
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Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Ghulam Nabi Memon on Monday directed the officers concerned to take legal action against culprits involved in secretly disposing of the bodies of new-born children.
Bodies of neonates are found from garbage dumps and desolate places, he said directing officers to investigate and bring the culprits to justice. It was inhuman and a legal violation too to kill or abandon an unwanted child.
He issued these directions in a letter to the Additional IGP - Karachi, Deputy IGPs of all zones and ranges and all district SSPs. The Sindh Police chief said it was a criminal act and punishable under Sections 328 and 329 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
The letter read that reportedly often unclaimed bodies of babies are handed over to welfare organisations for their burial without carrying out investigations under the Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and registration of an FIR. Such practice is illegal and against the mandatory norms and procedural conduct of the police.
All the officers should upon recovery of the body of the newborn carry out inquest proceedings followed by autopsy through medico-legal officer and register an FIR.
It shall also be ensured that when an unclaimed body of a newborn is handed over to any welfare organisation for burial, legal formalities required must be adhered to.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2023.