Bengaluru:
Bengaluru Police have arrested the parents of an 11-month-old baby after they murdered her and tried to stage the death as an accident, officials said on Monday.
Police said that the infant girl’s father, Shekeappa, had initially approached cops that his baby fell from the bed and died while his wife Vijayalakshmi had fallen asleep during breastfeeding. The case was initially registered as an unnatural death.
However, post-mortem examination and subsequent investigation revealed that the evidence was inconsistent with their original version of events, leading police to charge them with murder.
The incident happened on June 9 at Kitaganur village under the jurisdiction of Avalahalli Police Station in East Bengaluru.
Shekappa had initially told police that the baby was rushed to East Point Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Based on his complaint, officials registered a case and initiated an inquiry.
However, the post-mortem report received on June 22 revealed that the infant died due to excessive internal bleeding and respiratory complications caused by multiple internal injuries. It found multiple injuries on her body, including injuries to the face, chest, legs and private parts.
Investigators also found that the height of the bed was only about two feet and concluded that a fall from that height could not have caused the injuries found on the child.
Parents Argue, Father Throws Child
Investigation revealed that on the afternoon of June 9, a verbal altercation broke out between Shekappa and Vijayalakshmi when he returned home for lunch. According to police, during the fight, Vijayalakshmi kicked when the baby cried. Then, Shekappa in a burst of anger picked the infant up and threw her on the ground with force, causing internal trauma.
Police further stated that statements recorded from witnesses indicated frequent quarrels between the couple. Witnesses also allegedly claimed that Vijayalakshmi had an extramarital relationship with a neighbour and was not affectionate towards her child.
Based on the medical evidence, witness statements and findings during the investigation, Avalahalli Police have registered a case under Section 103(1) read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the baby’s father, Shekappa, and mother, Vijayalakshmi, on charges of murder. Further investigation is underway.
