Step-Father Arrested For Allegedly Murdering Toddler In Mankhurd, Police Cites Frustration Over Caregiving As Motive

Mumbai: A toddler was allegedly murdered by her stepfather in Mankhurd. The incident came to light in the early hours of Friday when the child’s mother returned home from work and discovered her daughter dead. The accused, a tempo driver, has been arrested by Mankhurd Police.

According to police, the toddler’s mother married the accused several months ago in her second marriage. They began living together in Mankhurd’s Anna Bhau Sathe area. She works as a domestic help in multiple homes, while the accused is a driver who mostly works night shifts.

While she is at work, the husband reluctantly takes care of the 2-and-a-half-year-old toddler. The couple allegedly argued often about this, as the accused reportedly showed indifference toward the child, his stepdaughter. On the day of the incident, when the mother returned home, she found the toddler lying still, initially assuming she was asleep. However, upon closer look, the child was lifeless.

When she confronted her husband, he acted suspiciously, prompting her to call the neighbors and the police.

Now as per police sources, the toddler may have been raped by the accused but police officially denied the version. However, they are waiting for the medical reports including postmortem findings to arrive to clear the suspicion. As of now, the accused has been booked and arrested for the charges of murder. He was remanded to police custody for three days, police said. 

Madhu Ghorpade, senior female police inspector of Mankhurd police station, confirmed that the accused was not drunk at the time of the incident, nor were there any signs of rape or sexual assault. According to Ghorpade, the motive stemmed from the accused’s frustration over having to care for a child who was not biologically his. Further investigation is underway.