Bengaluru: Man arrested for killing 11-month-old daughter over quarrel with wife

Bengaluru, Jul 7 (PTI) A 22-year-old tractor driver has been arrested for allegedly killing his infant daughter after a quarrel with his wife last month and trying to portray the death as an accidental fall, police said on Tuesday. The incident occurred at Kitaganur village that falls under Avalahalli police station limits of Bengaluru, they said. The incident took place on June 9. The accused, Shekhappa, a native of Yadgir district, initially told police that his 11-month-old daughter Renuka had accidentally fallen from a cot after her mother, Vijayalakshmi, fell asleep while breastfeeding her. The infant was taken to a private hospital, where she was declared dead. Police first registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR). However, during the investigation, several injuries were found on the child's face, chest, legs and private parts, which did not match the claim that she had fallen from a cot that was only about two feet high. Based on the post-mortem report and other evidence, police concluded that the death was not accidental and registered a murder case and Shekhappa was arrested during the investigation, a senior police officer. Citing preliminary investigation, the officer said the couple frequently quarrelled. Investigators suspect that during one such argument, the crying infant was allegedly kicked and thrown to the ground, causing fatal injuries. Vijayalakshmi remains absconding with her elder child, and police are investigating her role in the case. Further investigation is underway. PTI AMP SA