Mother held for hiding infant’s body in granary for 10 days in UP

The police questioned all the family members separately and found Hema’s statements were not corroborative and her activities appeared suspicious.

A 24-year-old woman was detained on Wednesday after her 8-month-old son’s body was found in a granary, 10 days after he went missing from home in Gopalgarh village in Jewar. The police said the incident came to light when family members noticed a foul smell coming from the granary and found his body stuffed in a cement bag. The family had filed a missing complaint in the local police station on August 11.

The police said the incident came to light when family members noticed a foul smell coming from the granary and found his body stuffed in a cement bag. (HT FILE)

Ajay Agarwal, station house officer (SHO), Jewar police station, said the child lived with his parents Rohtash and Hema, in an extended family. Rohtash worked in a private company while Hema is a homemaker.

Agarwal said on August 11, Rohtash returned home and found his wife crying. “She informed him that someone had abducted the boy when she had gone outside to feed their animals. She said the other family members had gone to attend a religious programme in the village,” the SHO said.

After the family filed the complaint, the police had launched a search but could not trace the infant.

However, on Wednesday around 8.30 am, Rohtash and his other family members noticed a foul smell coming from the granary. “They found the infant’s decomposing body in a cement bag. The family then informed the police,” he said.

The police questioned all the family members separately and found Hema’s statements were not corroborative and her activities appeared suspicious. “During interrogation, she broke down and revealed that the infant had fallen from the cot while playing and died. She had stuffed the boy in a bag and put it in the granary, fearing the family members would scold her for negligence,” he said.

The police said the body was sent for an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death and medical reports were awaited. “It appears the woman is still hiding something. We have detained the suspect till the cause of death is determined,” Sharad Chandra Sharma, circle officer (Jewar), said.

The police said they are investigating the case from all angles.