In a heart-wrenching turn of events, a grandmother's yearning for a grandson led her to strangle her innocent four-day-old granddaughter in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The police have since revealed the incident and detained the accused mother-in-law.
On March 23, Kajal Chauhan, residing in Gwalior's Gol Pada area, went into labor. She was immediately taken to the Kamla Raja Hospital.
Mother-in-law Displeased with Birth of Daughter
At the hospital, Kajal gave birth to a beautiful girl, albeit with a disability in one hand. While Kajal was overjoyed, her mother-in-law, Premalata Chauhan, felt a twinge of resentment. She had hoped her daughter-in-law would give birth to a son first. The arrival of a girl, especially one with a disability, seemed like a curse to Premalata.
Perceiving her mother-in-law's displeasure, Kajal kept her daughter away from Premalata. During this time, Kajal's mother was taking care of the newborn at the hospital. Suddenly, they received news of Kajal's uncle's death.
Grandmother Suffocates the Newborn in Her Arms
After Kajal's mother left for the funeral, Premalata, against her daughter-in-law's wishes, took the baby into her arms on the night of March 26. She wrapped her four-day-old granddaughter in a blanket, holding her close—and as the night progressed, Premalata's intentions grew darker until she seized the moment to strangle her.
The baby had passed away, but Premalata wouldn't let go. When Kajal's maternal uncle and aunt reached the hospital, Kajal asked for her daughter back, but Premalata refused. This raised suspicions. They forcefully took the child from Premalata and found no signs of life.
Doctors Pronounce the Child Deceased
The worrisome stillness led them to the doctor, who confirmed the child's death after examination. Meanwhile, Premalata had disappeared from the scene. Kajal suspected her mother-in-law and was adamant about a postmortem, which even her husband Vikas Chauhan opposed. Kajal wouldn't budge, and a postmortem was eventually performed, but Kajal paid the price—her in-laws didn't take her home. Instead, her family members took her to her aunt's house in Shinde Ki Chawni.
Police Arrest the Grandmother
The autopsy report became public on Thursday, revealing the cause of death as strangulation. Kajal immediately accused her mother-in-law. CSP Ashok Jadaun said based on Kajal's complaint, and considering the autopsy report, they've lodged an FIR against Premalata under Section 302 and arrested her.
The police informed that they're interrogating Premalata about her mental state. Interestingly, during Navratri, Premalata fed young girls as part of a ritual and even distributed school bags to them.
