Andhra woman kills daughter to live happily with second husband; buries body on riverbank

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A 30-month-old girl was allegedly murdered by her mother and her live-in partner, and the body was later buried along the banks of the Swarnamukhi River in Tirupati district, police said on Wednesday.

The incident was uncovered after the child was reported missing on February 19, leading to a police investigation. The complaint was filed by the child’s grandmother, who grew worried when the girl could not be found.

According to police, the accused mother, Y Ashalatha, is the daughter of Nagarathnamma and Ranga from the Auto Nagar area. She had divorced her first husband around one-and-a-half years ago. Later, she came into contact with 21-year-old I Reddy Kumar from Chennampalli Harijanawada in Yerpedu mandal through a social media platform. The two got married at a local temple last year, The Times of India reported.

However, police said Reddy Kumar’s parents did not accept Ashalatha because she had been married before and had a young daughter. Investigators revealed that Kumar allegedly pressured her, saying they could only live happily together if the child was not with them.

Police said that on February 19, Ashalatha allegedly killed her daughter. With the help of Reddy Kumar and his friend Ramu, she is accused of burying the child’s body near Papanaidupeta.

During questioning, Ashalatha and Kumar allegedly confessed to the crime and led police to the burial site. The body was exhumed on Wednesday, and post-mortem procedures were conducted at the spot.

Police have launched a search for Ramu, who allegedly assisted the couple in disposing of the body. Officials said further investigation is underway and legal proceedings will follow.