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Case takes new turn as family alleges custodial torture by police (Img: Dynamite News)
Bengaluru: A fresh controversy has erupted in the death of an 11-month-old girl in Bengaluru after the victim's family accused police of custodial torture, alleging they were assaulted and forced to confess to murdering the child. The allegations come even as police maintain that the investigation, backed by postmortem findings, points to homicide rather than an accidental death.
The incident occurred on June 9 in Kitaganur village under the jurisdiction of Avalahalli Police Station in east Bengaluru.
According to police, the child's father, Shekappa, initially reported that the baby had accidentally fallen from a bed while her mother, Vijayalakshmi, had fallen asleep during breastfeeding. The infant was taken to East Point Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
Police initially registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) before launching a detailed investigation.
The family, who had migrated from Yadgir to Bengaluru for work, claimed the child died after falling from a cot onto stones and firewood kept beneath it.
They alleged that after receiving the postmortem report, police converted the case into a murder investigation and subjected family members to severe physical abuse.
According to the family, Shekappa, Vijayalakshmi, Shekappa's younger brother and a 19-year-old youth were stripped, tied up and assaulted in custody to force them to confess to killing the infant.
The family further alleged that police threw chilli powder into the eyes of some detainees, rubbed green chilli paste on their bodies, and assaulted a woman after pulling her clothes. They claimed both male and female police personnel were involved.
According to the FIR filed by Avalahalli Police, the infant sustained injuries to her face, chest, legs and private parts that were inconsistent with a fall from a cot.
Police also cited witness statements alleging frequent quarrels between the parents and claimed the mother was involved in an extramarital relationship. The FIR further alleged that during a domestic dispute, the mother kicked the child and the father later threw the infant during the altercation.
The postmortem report concluded that the child died due to haemorrhage, respiratory failure and multiple internal organ injuries. Based on the medical findings and witness statements, police registered a murder case against the parents.
Whitefield Division Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Saidulu Adavath denied allegations of custodial torture, saying the investigation was conducted based on forensic evidence and the postmortem report.
He said the father has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody, while the investigation into the mother's alleged role is continuing.
The DCP added that action would be taken if any misconduct by police personnel is established but maintained that the investigation remains underway.
