Mumbai, The Bombay High Court has refused bail to a man arrested for killing his one-month-old granddaughter as the family did not want another girl child, noting it was unfortunate that almost 80 years since Independence, people still prefer a boy.
He was accused of drowning his one-month-old granddaughter in a tub as she was the second girl child born to his son and daughter-in-law. A local resident, upon suspicion, informed the police of the incident pursuant to which a case was lodged. The case against Pradhan was lodged in 2023 by the police in Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra under the charges of murder and destruction of evidence.
Subsequently, the child’s body was exhumed and the post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as asphyxia due to drowning.
“The family, all accused in the case, made a hue and cry that someone killed the child and created a scene that some animal may have taken away the infant,” the HC said, adding the cremation of the child was also done in a hurried manner.
Because the family did not want another girl child, it added that the infant was murdered.
