In a tragic case of suspected child murder, a 35-year-old woman named Sandhya has been arrested for allegedly throwing her three-year-old daughter into the Chalakudy River from a bridge in Kerala’s Ernakulam district. The heartbreaking incident occurred on the evening of May 19, and the child’s body was recovered after an exhaustive eight-and-a-half-hour search operation.
The accused, a resident of Thiruvankulam, was taken into custody after police uncovered inconsistencies in her account of events. She has been charged with murder under relevant sections of the law.
According to investigators, Sandhya picked up her daughter Kalyani from an Anganwadi school and took a bus ride with her. CCTV footage captured the mother and daughter disembarking near the Moozhikulam Bridge. However, Sandhya later arrived alone at her mother’s residence in Kurumasseri, raising immediate suspicion. The auto-rickshaw driver confirmed to authorities that she was unaccompanied.
Meanwhile, her husband Subash said that Sandhya had called him earlier, asking for a cooker washer, and that he returned home in the evening only to find both missing. He later contacted Sandhya’s family, who denied any knowledge of their whereabouts.
Suspicions deepened when Sandhya’s mother told the media that Sandhya claimed to have “lost” the child. The family also disclosed that the couple had been experiencing frequent marital disputes.
An intensive search operation was launched, and Kalyani’s lifeless body was found around 2:30 a.m. on May 20 in the Chalakudy River. The remains are currently held at Aluva Taluk Hospital for post-mortem examination.
Authorities are continuing the investigation to determine the motive behind the crime.
