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-off the bodies of newborns at the garbage sites or unattended routes and other places. 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 dead bodies of born babies are handed over to welfare organizations for their burial without carrying out inquest proceedings under 174 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 carryout inquest proceedings under 174 CrPC followed by medical examination by through concerned medical legal officer and registration of an FIR at the police station concerned to trace the accused involved. It shall also be ensured that when an unclaimed body of a newborn is handed over to any welfare organization for burial legal formalities required must be adhered to.
The officers were also asked to sensitize the welfare organizations working in their jurisdictions to notify the area police station on receipt of information of an unclaimed dead body of newborn prior to its collection from the spot. This would enable the area police to collect and secure relevant material/ evidence from the scene and process the case, as per law.
