Infant died five minutes after burial, autopsy shows

Autopsy report shows two-day-old girl had no physical impairments.

MULTAN:

The post-mortem report of a two-day-old girl has confirmed that she was buried alive and died five or more minutes later due to suffocation. The autopsy was conducted by Dr Muhammad Tariq and Dr Rubeena from the Kacha Khu rural health centre.

The grave of the child had been dug on the orders of the Khanewal magistrate and civil judge Justice Rehman Elahi, with the permission of the victim’s mother and in the presence of the residents of the area and the police.

The grave itself was identified by the infant’s father, who buried her alive last week claiming he did not like her looks.

Dr Tariq told The Express Tribune that the initial medical report confirmed the death was a result of the seven kilogrammes of mud which was thrown upon her. Dr Rubeena confirmed that she was physically healthy and had no impairments. The only thing unusual about the child was that her face was large.  Samples have been taken from the child’s body and sent to Lahore to a forensic laboratory for a detailed autopsy report.

Earlier, the perpetrator of the horrific crime justified his act, saying that “It was my will because she was my child and every person has the right to do anything with their children.”

The man, who is in the custody of the police, has been threatened by residents who angrily demanded from the area magistrate that he be buried alive in the same grave where he buried his daughter.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2012.