By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two days ago, the body of a newborn baby was found at Oottukuzhy in Vilappilsala. Police are yet to receive leads on the case. "We assume the baby was already dead before abandonment," said Stuart Keeler, deputy superintendent of police, Nedumangad. The body which was wrapped in plastic was bitten by dogs. Children playing nearby informed elders when they noticed street dogs huddled over in a private property at 5.30 pm on Friday. An inquest was conducted by the police in the presence of revenue officials. Forensic experts collected the evidence. The dog squad was unable to gather proof as the body was already decayed. After postmortem, the body was shifted to the medical college. Police have asked hospitals in the region for information regarding the birth of a baby boy in the past week. Upon identification, parents they could be charged under section 318 (concealment of birth by secret disposal of the body), said a police official. "No such instances have taken place in the recent past. Ammathottil has been installed to avoid similar incidents," said Deepak S P, general secretary, Kerala State Council for Child Welfare. According to the data provided by District Crime Records Bureau, Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police, an eight-month-old baby girl was killed by immersing her in a water tank at Kadakkavoor in 2015. The 28-year-old mother Chandraprabha was mentally ill. However, no similar incidents have been reported in the city police limits since 2015.

Stay updated with all the Latest Thiruvananthapuram headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.