Woman poisons differently abled, bedridden daughter to death in Naupada

The woman, a resident of Naupada in Thane West, then disposed of the body with the help of her mother and a friend, officials said

A 39-year-old woman, frustrated by her differently abled 17-year-old daughter’s severe health condition, allegedly killed her by poisoning her, according to the police.

Woman poisons differently abled, bedridden daughter to death in Naupada

The woman, a resident of Naupada in Thane West, then disposed of the body with the help of her mother and a friend, officials said. The deceased girl was identified as Yashasvi Pawar.

The Naupada police on Monday registered a murder case against her mother, Snehal Pawar; grandmother, Surekha Mahangade, 60; and Snehal’s friend, who is yet to be identified.

While Snehal and her friend are absconding, Mahangade was interrogated on Monday evening, where she allegedly confessed to the crime. She will be arrested on Tuesday, officials said, as the law prohibits the arrest of women after sunset.

The police have examined CCTV footage showing the three women placing what looks like a body wrapped in a white sheet into a car. The alleged murder occurred on the intervening night of February 19-20.

According to the police, Yashasvi Pawar was born with disabilities and was unable to talk or move, leaving her bedridden since birth.

The girl had also recently begun suffering from other health issues that caused her to experience sleepless nights where she cried out in pain, said an officer from the Naupada police station.

During this time, Yashasvi’s mother, Snehal, was also looking after her husband, who had serious health issues that had left him bedridden as well. She eventually decided to end Yashasvi’s life by poisoning her, the officer said.

The following day, when Yashasvi’s paternal aunt, Varsha Raghunandan, visited the Pawars’ home to check on her niece’s and her brother’s health, she found that Yashasvi was missing.

A neighbour later showed Raghunandan CCTV footage from an adjacent building where the three accused were seen placing what looked like a body wrapped in a sheet into a car. Raghunandan immediately alerted the Naupada police station and filed a complaint, leading to an investigation.

“The case has been booked under section 103 (murder) of the BNS section. We are investigating the matter, and the accused are still at large. Further details will emerge as the investigation progresses,” said the police officer.