Riot police in the city’s main Kizilay Square on the first anniversary of last year’s protests in Ankara, Turkey, in this May 31, 2014 photo. (AP)

ANKARA: A Turkish man is charged with electrocuting his wife as punishment for giving birth to a girl — while on the phone to police who failed to avert the crime, media reported Friday.

The 29-year-old from southeastern Diyarbakir province does not deny murdering his wife by placing a live electric cable under her chin as she slept, a day after their second baby girl was born in January.

The Vatan newspaper published on its front page a transcript of a telephone call he placed to police in which he announced his murderous intent, in real time.

“I killed someone,” the man told the police operator, according to the transcript. “Who did you kill?” asked the officer on the other end.

“I am killing my wife right now,” said the man.

“Did you kill her or are you killing her?” the officer asked.

“Well, she isn’t dead yet. But I am killing her if the murder is halal (permissible in Islam),” the man replied.

At which point the police operator snapped into action: “OK, wait. I am sending a unit.”

A defense lawyer told the court at a hearing Wednesday that his client killed his wife because she gave birth to “a girl once again.”