Why Madras HC Released a Woman Held for Killing Her Daughters on Probation

At the outset, it must be pointed out that an order such as this one is rare. But there is an explanation for it.

“It is a matter of great pain that the appellant, being the mother, should feel ashamed for giving birth to female children and even would attempt to commit suicide and to kill the children,” the Madras High Court said on 20 July, as they released a mother convicted for killing her two daughters on probation of good conduct (under section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958).

At the very outset, it must be pointed out that an order such as this one is rare. Normally, there is no possibility of probation for a person held responsible by a court for someone's death (parole is a different matter). But there is an explanation to this one.