JALANDHAR, Aug. 18 — A six-month-old baby girl was allegedly strangled to death by her maternal grandparents in Bhogpur, police said on Saturday, after the infant’s body was recovered from a secluded area in Hoshiarpur’s Tanda subdivision.
Station House Officer Rajesh Kumar of Bhogpur police station confirmed that both accused — Tarsem Singh and his wife Daljit Kaur, the baby’s maternal grandfather and grandmother — were taken into custody. “A detailed briefing will be given by senior officials on Monday,” Kumar stated.
Police officials said the case was registered under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) following a complaint lodged by the child’s father, Shilendra Kumar. Shilendra, who is estranged from his wife Maninder Kaur, reported the matter after learning of the alleged crime.
According to investigators, Maninder had been living with her parents in Dalla village and had left the baby in their care for a few days while she was away for work. The grandparents, police said, admitted finding it difficult to cope with the infant’s needs. Preliminary investigation has suggested that their mental exhaustion and inability to provide adequate care may have played a role in the alleged act.
The child’s body, which was discovered on Saturday, has been sent for post-mortem. Officials noted that further inquiries are underway to establish the exact sequence of events and motive.
“The investigation is still at an early stage,” one police officer said. “The circumstances that led to such an extreme step will be examined thoroughly.”
Senior police officials are expected to release more details once the forensic report and interrogation of the accused are complete.
