Darjeeling, Aug. 26 -- The mysterious death of a three-and-a-half-month-old baby girl in Prakashnagar, Ward 43 has sent shockwaves across Siliguri. Allegations have surfaced that the infant's father, Rahul Mahato, suffocated her with a pillow because she was a girl child.
According to police and local sources, Rahul married Priyanka Kumari of Bihar two years ago and the couple's only child was the baby girl, Amrita. Priyanka alleged that her husband and in-laws had been mentally and physically torturing her since the birth of her daughter, refusing to accept the child. She claimed that on Monday night, her husband pressed a pillow on the baby's face, leading to her death. The child was rushed to Siliguri District Hospital on Tuesday morning, where doctors declared her brought dead. Following a complaint from Priyanka and her relatives, police arrested Rahul and sent the body for post-mortem at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Rahul has denied the allegations, claiming he did not harm his daughter and that the charges are false. His family also maintains that conclusions should not be drawn before the autopsy report. Meanwhile, Priyanka's family has demanded strict punishment for the accused.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Rakesh Singh confirmed that a murder case has been registered and an investigation is underway.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.