Woman arrested for killing newborn granddaughter in Erode
A woman in Erode, India, has been arrested for the murder of her newborn granddaughter. Police report that the grandmother confessed to the crime, citing the child's gender and concerns over the family's financial and social stability as motives.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the persistent and tragic issue of female infanticide and gender-based violence in certain regions.
A woman was arrested on Monday (July 20, 2026) for allegedly strangling her newborn granddaughter to death at a private hospital in Bhavani, allegedly because the child was the family’s second daughter, the police said.
According to the police, Priyadharshini (25), wife of Selvakumar of Kattuvalavu near Edappadi in Salem district, was admitted to the hospital after she developed labour pains on July 17. She delivered a baby girl through a caesarean section at 4.40 a.m. on July 18. The couple has a four-year-old daughter.
The police said Selvakumar was admitted to the same hospital later that day after reportedly suffering a seizure. Priyadharshini’s mother, Thangamani, and her son, Bhoopathi, stayed at the hospital to look after the newborn.
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