Nagpur: In a chilling case of child abuse, a 3-year-old girl’s death in Khaparkheda near Nagpur has unravelled a heartbreaking tale of cruelty. Her mother, Priti (name changed), and her live-in partner, Rajpal Malviya, have been arrested for allegedly beating the child to death on December 26.
A disturbing cover-up
Gold Rate
Wednesday 07 Jan. 2025
Initially, Priti claimed her daughter Shruti (name changed) had succumbed to pneumonia and high fever. The grieving mother carried the child’s body to her native village in Gondia for burial the next day. However, suspicions were raised when Priti refused to perform the customary funeral rites, including bathing the body.
Relatives became further alarmed upon noticing injuries near the child’s ankles when the shroud was removed. Despite their protests and questions, Priti remained defiant, dismissing their concerns and instead arguing about property matters related to her late second husband.
Exposing the grim reality
The relatives, unconvinced by Priti’s explanation, alerted local authorities. Following the intervention of the police, the child’s body was exhumed for a post-mortem. The report revealed that Shruti had suffered a fatal head injury, confirming suspicions of foul play.
The case, initially registered as an accidental death, was transferred from Goregaon police station in Gondia to Khaparkheda police station, where investigators uncovered the shocking truth.
The motive
Police investigations revealed that Priti’s frustration with Shruti’s tantrums and her strained relationship with Malviya led to the abuse. On December 26, in a fit of rage, the duo allegedly beat the child with sticks, causing her death.
Sources also disclosed a disturbing element of prejudice: Malviya reportedly resented Shruti because of her fair complexion, which drew attention and comments from others, contrasting sharply with his darker skin.
Priti, who had a son from her first marriage and Shruti from her second, moved to Nagpur with her children after her second husband’s death. She began living with Malviya in Nanda, but the relationship quickly turned toxic, with Shruti becoming a target of their frustrations.
Both Priti and Malviya were arrested on Friday, and a local court remanded them to police custody until January 6. The case highlights the grim reality of child abuse, where personal prejudices and frustrations tragically culminated in the loss of an innocent life.
The police continue their investigation as the community mourns the death of a child whose only fault was being born into a fractured family.
