On coming across a case of a woman having killed her two girl children by administering poison in 2016 besides attempting to end her life because she was unable to bear the taunt of the society, the Madras High Court has said that it is a matter of great pain that a woman should feel ashamed of begetting girl children.
Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy expressed deep anguish and set aside the punishment imposed on the woman by invoking the Probation of Offenders Act of 1958. The judge summoned the woman to court and obtained an undertaking from her that she shall take good care of her two other girl children and educate them.
Commencing his verdict with Mahakavi Bharathiyar's poem on gender equality, the judge wrote: "This is a sad case which stands testimony to the gender inquality prevailing in our society. Unfortunately, this occurrence happened in the year 2016 and we, as a society, have not corrected ourselves. It is a matter of great pain."
