3-year-old girl's death in Kochi: Autopsy confirms sexual abuse, uncle confesses
Kochi: The tragic death of a three-year-old girl in Kochi has taken a disturbing turn, with postmortem findings revealing sexual abuse. The child’s paternal uncle has confessed to the crime and is now in police custody. The child’s body was recovered from the Chalakudy river near Moozhikulam on Monday evening.
Initial investigations suggested that the child’s mother had murdered her by throwing her into the river. She was subsequently arrested and remanded by the Chengamanad police, who are investigating the murder. However, the case became more complex after the autopsy report indicated signs of repeated sexual assault. Following the report, the Puthencruz police detained the girl's paternal uncle.
He has allegedly confessed to sexually abusing the child on multiple occasions when she visited his home nearby. Injuries on the child’s private parts supported these allegations. Police confirmed that the accused will be charged under Sections 3 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which pertain to penetrative and aggravated penetrative sexual assault. Additionally, Section 64 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rape, has been invoked.
Ernakulam Rural Superintendent of Police M. Hemalatha told the media that a zero FIR was registered on the basis of the autopsy and the statement by the medical examiner. The case was then transferred to the Puthencruz police.
“The investigation began yesterday, and key evidence is being analysed. We are recording the statements of others close to the child,” she said.
The child’s mother has already admitted to throwing the girl into the river while taking her from her husband’s home in Chottanikkara to her residence in Kurumassery. The motive behind the act is still under investigation.
Police have not yet confirmed whether the mother was aware of the ongoing abuse. Family members revealed that the child’s parents had ongoing marital disputes.
The Chengamanad police will continue to interrogate the mother, while the Puthencruz police are expected to join the questioning in light of the POCSO charges.
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Karnataka by-polls: Cong ahead in Bagalkot, BJP leads in Davanagere South
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Bengaluru (PTI): Trends show Congress and BJP have maintained leads respectively in Karnataka's Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly seats, where counting of votes is underway on Monday, for the bypolls held for two seats on April 9.
The polls were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
According to the Election Commission, Congress party's Umesh Meti was ahead of BJP's Veerabhadrayya Charantimath by a margin of 9,969 votes in Bagalkot.
In Davanagere South, BJP's Srinivas T Dasakariyappa was leading over Congress party's Samarth Mallikarjun by a margin of 8,539 votes.
Nine and 25 candidates were in the fray, respectively in the Bagalkot and Davanagere South Assembly segments.
