A 25-year-old man allegedly killed his 10-month-old daughter in Delhi's Bhalswa Dairy area, citing financial inability to raise a second girl child, police reported on Monday. The accused, identified as Deepak, is accused of strangling the infant, disposing of her body in the septic tank of his residence, and later fabricating a kidnapping story to mislead investigators, according to news agency PTI.
Recovery of the Body and Initial Claims
The child's body was recovered after Deepak allegedly confessed to the crime during police interrogation. Initially, he claimed that the infant went missing while he stepped out to buy milk and biscuits on Saturday. Police received a PCR call regarding the alleged kidnapping on May 24.
Police Investigation and Inconsistencies
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North district) Hareshwar Swami stated that a massive search operation was launched due to the case's sensitive nature. Multiple police teams were formed, and CCTV footage from the locality was scanned to trace the infant and identify possible suspects. During the investigation, inconsistencies emerged in Deepak's account. CCTV footage did not support his claim that he had left the house when the child disappeared.
Deepak's father told police that when his son returned home, the infant could not be found. He said, 'We then called people from the neighbourhood and started searching for her, but we could not find her. We informed the police, and a massive hunt was launched.'
Deepak's wife Surya stated that she and their elder daughter suddenly fell unconscious after her husband went out.
Confession and Arrest
The DCP noted that Deepak's movements could not be corroborated through any footage. Suspecting foul play, the teams intensified questioning and subjected the accused to sustained interrogation. During questioning, Deepak allegedly confessed that he was under financial stress and felt incapable of bearing the expenses of raising another daughter. Following the confession, police teams recovered the infant's body from the septic tank at the accused's residence in the presence of forensic and crime teams.
Police later added Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to the case and arrested the accused. Deepak, a resident of Mukundpur in Bhalswa Dairy, studied up to Class 12 and worked as a school van driver at a private school.
Further Investigation
Another police officer stated that investigators are probing whether any family members had prior knowledge of the crime or helped the accused conceal evidence. Statements of relatives and neighbours are being recorded. The officer added, 'We are also probing the drug angle in the matter, as the family had claimed that they were unconscious. Teams are working on multiple angles.'
