UP: Man kills 'unwanted' step-daughter, child's mom dials cops, gets hubby, in-laws arrested

AGRA: A man allegedly killed his “unwanted” step-daughter by tossing her to the floor while the girl’s mother was not home in Agra’s Achnera area. The 18 months old girl was killed instantly, and the step father, 27-year-old Manoj Singh and his family members buried the body discreetly, without informing police to evade action on Friday morning.

However, Maya, the mother of the girl, returned home and confronted her husband and in-laws over the un-explained death. She then called police and got her husband, in-laws and two neighbours among six persons booked for the murder. Three of them have been arrested and sent to jail. The child’s body was also exhumed and sent for post-mortem examination.

According to police, Maya was pregnant with the child, Anshu, when she got married to Manoj, a resident of Mudiyapur village.

Based on the Maya’s complaint, police booked Manoj Singh under IPC section 302 (murder) and 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender). Police also booked Manoj’s mother Triveni Devi, 60, father Tikam Singh, 68, his uncle Gilla and two neighbours Bholu Singh, 47 and Vijay.

“We arrested Manoj, his father Tikam Singh and a neighbour, Bholu Singh on Saturday. Others are missing and will soon be arrested,” said station house officer Sanjeev Kumar Tomar of Achnera.

“During the questioning, Manoj told us that he got married to Maya in March this year. She hailed from Bihar’s Siwan district. At the time of the marriage, Maya was five-month pregnant with the child from her first marriage. After Anshu’s birth, the couple started to fight over the girl. Manoj and his mother Triveni Devi didn’t want to take the responsibility of the child.

“On Friday morning too, the couple had heated argument over Anshu before Maya left home to attend the nature’s call,” the SHO said.

He added, “As soon as she left the house, Manoj slapped the crying infant and tossed her off the bed to the floor, killing the girl instantly. The family members then cremated the victim’s body against the wish of her mother. But she made a distress call to police.”