Punjab: Mother arrested for killing toddler in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: The Focal Point police arrested a woman for allegedly gagging her 1.5-year-old daughter to death in Jeevan Nagar in the early hours of Sunday. According to police, the woman wanted to put the blame of her daughter's death on her husband. However, after sustained questioning, the woman admitted that she had killed child.
Sunita (25), a resident of Laxman Nagar, Giaspura, got married to a labourer (Guddu, 27) in 2016.Following strained relations, during Sunita's pregnancy, the couple started living separately. While Guddu was living in a rented accommodation in Jeevan Nagar, her wife was living at her parents' house in Laxman Nagar of Giaspura where Sunita gave birth to Kushi.
"The couple had strain relations. While Guddu suspected that Khushi is not his daughter, Sunita wanted to solemanize another marriage. But following the intervention of area residents, including the president of local society of Jeevan nagar, on Saturday evening, Sunita along with her daughter returned to Guddu's house," in-charge at Jeevan Nagar police post ASI Daljeet Singh said.
He added: However, Sunita had a plan in her mind of separating from her husband. For this, she planned to eliminate her daughter and put blame on her husband. In the wee hours, after Guddu and Khushi fell asleep, Sunita gagged her daughter to death with the help of a pillow. Later around 3pm, she woke up her husband stating that something has happened to their daughter and that she was not making any movement."
On hearing their voices, nearby residents rushed there and took the girl to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead.
The official said, "At first, area residents questioned both parents about the incident and doubted the woman. Further during questioning by police, the woman broke down and admitted her crime."
The focal point police have registered a case under section of 302 (murder) of the IPC in this matter. The accused woman has also been arrested.