Bengaluru Parents Arrested Over Infanticide Covered Up As Accident

In a distressing incident in Bengaluru, India, local police have arrested a couple for allegedly murdering their 11-month-old daughter and subsequently attempting to portray the death as an accidental fall. The state law enforcement authorities officially confirmed the arrests on Monday, 6 July, following an extensive forensic investigation that unravelled the parents’ fabricated cover story.

The tragedy unfolded on 9 June in Kitaganur village, located within the jurisdiction of the Avalahalli Police Station in east Bengaluru. Initially, the child’s father, Shekiyappa, approached the local police station to report that his wife, Vijayalakshmi, had inadvertently fallen asleep while breastfeeding. He claimed that the infant had rolled off the bed, fallen onto the floor, and succumbed to her injuries. On the basis of this statement, the police filed an initial report of unnatural death and authorized a preliminary inquiry.

According to Shekiyappa’s initial account, the baby was rushed to a nearby hospital immediately after the supposed fall, where attending medical staff pronounced her dead on arrival. However, the trajectory of the investigation changed drastically when the post-mortem report was released on 22 June.

The autopsy findings exposed a stark reality. Medical examiners detailed that the infant died from severe internal haemorrhaging and respiratory complications induced by multiple instances of blunt force trauma. Shockingly, the medical report highlighted numerous older and fresh external injuries across the child’s face, chest, legs, and private parts.

Armed with this forensic data, investigators returned to the family home to reconstruct the scene. They noted that the bed stood a mere two feet above the ground. Given the soft flooring and the minor drop, investigators concluded that it was physically impossible for a child to sustain such catastrophic internal injuries from an accidental fall from that height.

Subsequent interrogation and statements collected from nearby residents brought the grim sequence of events to light. On the afternoon of 9 June, Shekiyappa returned home for lunch, which quickly escalated into a ferocious domestic argument with Vijayalakshmi. Distressed by the shouting, the 11-month-old girl began to cry. Annoyed by the interruptions, Vijayalakshmi kicked the infant. Fuelled by aggression, Shekiyappa then picked up the crying child and slammed her violently onto the floor, causing the fatal internal trauma.

Neighbours informed investigators that the household was plagued by frequent, volatile arguments. Witness testimonies further alleged that Vijayalakshmi was involved in an extramarital affair with a neighbour and had consistently displayed severe neglect and a complete lack of maternal affection toward her daughter.

On the basis of the medical reports, corroborating witness accounts, and physical evidence collected at the scene, the Avalahalli police have formally charged Shekiyappa and Vijayalakshmi with murder under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The suspects remain in custody as the formal legal proceedings and judicial investigation continue.