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Kerala preacher arrested after his wife dies during childbirth
The accused, police said, has also been booked for destruction of evidence since he transported the woman’s remains without admitted her to a hospital or informing the police about the death
A self-styled religious preacher was arrested on Tuesday in Malappuram district of Kerala in connection with the death of his wife who allegedly died during childbirth at their residence, police said.
The accused, identified as Sirajuddin Latheefi Neerkunnam, was charged under sections of culpable homicide, days after his wife Asma (35) died on April 5 at their home in Kodur area of the district.
Police said that the woman died after giving birth to their fifth child. “Prima facie, it appears that the husband pushed for the childbirth to be conducted at home,” Malappuram district police chief R Vishwanath told reporters. “We have clear clues about the people who were present at the [couple’s] rented home at the time of delivery, including the midwife. It is too early to reveal their names, but the investigation will surely cover those aspects.”
The following morning, the accused took the newborn and his wife’s body to the latter’s home in Vengola area of Ernakulam district. Following suspicions emerging from Asma’s death, her family filed a police complaint on April 6.
“As per the statement of the accused, the child was delivered around 6pm on April 5. The death took place a couple of hours later,” Vishwanath said. Post-mortem examination of the woman’s body, conducted at the Ernakulam Government Medical College hospital, confirmed that she died due to excessive bleeding.
The accused, police said, has also been booked for destruction of evidence since he transported the woman’s remains without admitted her to a hospital or informing the police about the death.
