Court fines illegal abortion

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 March 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Pt. Pedro Magistrate T. Vignarajah, today warned Vallipuram Chinnammah and fined her 500 rupees (approximately 8 US $), for performing an illegal abortion on a young woman from the Pt. Pedro area, said legal sources in Jaffna.

The young woman on whom Chinnammah had performed the abortion was told by the judge to be at her best behaviour in the future.

Mr. Vignarajah told Vallipuram Chinnammah that if she was caught performing illegal abortions in the future, he would not hesitate to clamp down on her the most severe sentence under the law, which is two years rigorous imprisonment.

The matter reached courts when the woman on whom the abortion was performed began bleeding profusely, which resulted in her having to be warded at the Pt. Pedro Hospital. She was then transferred to the Jaffna Hospital.

Once it was discovered that she was a victim of an illegal abortion, the Sri Lankan police was informed by the hospital authorities.

The Police filed charges after preliminary inquiries. There has been a rise in the incidence of illegal abortions in the Jaffna peninsula in the recent past said court sources.

It is believed that broken families, young widows and the presence of Sri Lankan Security Forces personnel as well as cadres of the former militant organisations who are currently active in the peninsula have contributed to the this situation, said a local lawyer.