Newborn strangled to death in Kerala; migrant worker couple held

In a suspected case of infanticide, a migrant couple allegedly strangled their child, born out of wedlock, recently in this high range district of Kerala, police said on Friday.

The murder was reported on an estate in Shanthipuram in Kumbummettu near here in the wee hours of May 7.

The child was born to the couple, hailing from Madhya Pradesh who had been in a relationship for some time and were staying together here as estate workers, police said.

The man, aged about 23 years has been arrested in connection with the child’s death, police said.

The woman, the mother of the deceased, is under treatment at a local hospital and she is under the observation of police, they said.

”The child was said to have been born by 12.30 am on the day. The owner of the house, where they were staying, came to know about its birth and death 6.30 am,” a police officer told PTI.

The owner had seen the couple crying saying their newborn boy was found motionless after its birth.

”However, during the post-mortem, the doctor found out that the child was strangulated to death soon after birth,” the officer said.

During interrogation, the man confessed to the crime, police said.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the IPC including murder.

The woman, who is under treatment, would be taken into custody soon, police added.