Stepmother arrested for killing four-year-old girl child in Bengal's Murshidabad

Police in West Bengal's Murshidabad district have arrested a woman for allegedly murdering her four-year-old stepdaughter. The incident occurred in the Katabari Sarkarpara area of Sagarpara police station. Mousumi Khatun has been accused of beating the child to death. Neighbors reported that Mousumi Khatun was known for her abusive behavior.

The child's father resides in Kerala, while her birth mother remarried and moved away about three years ago. Local residents alleged that Mousumi Khatun subjected the child to severe physical and mental torture for an extended period. She reportedly refused to feed the child and prevented her from attending school. There were several documented instances of physical abuse before the child's death.

It was initially speculated that the child was beaten on Saturday night. As the child's condition worsened, she was taken to Sagarpara Primary Health Centre, where doctors pronounced her dead. The police were subsequently informed, and the body was sent to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital for an autopsy. A relative of the deceased child, Nurefa Bibi, stated that the stepmother had been torturing the child daily, denying her proper food and physical well-being.

She would cover the child's mouth to prevent crying and even fought with protesters when confronted. The relative also observed the child lying in a lethargic state with multiple injuries and bruises upon entering the house.