Five-month-old infant killed by mother in Taraganj

A five-month-old girl was killed by her mother in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur. The heartbreaking incident took place early Monday (September 15) in Palashbari village of Kursha union. The deceased was the second daughter of Babulal and Tulsi Rani of the village.

According to police and local sources, the infant was crying at dawn, prompting her grandmother, Patani Rani, to hand the child over to her mother for breastfeeding. Tulsi Rani then took the child inside the house and slit her throat. Afterwards, she handed over the bloodied body to her husband, Babulal. Hearing Patani Rani’s screams, neighbours rushed to the scene and detained the mother.

Babulal, the infant’s father and a hotel worker, said, “I cannot comprehend what has happened. For the past month, my wife had been ill, so the baby was staying with my mother. At dawn today, the child was crying for milk, which is why she was given to her mother. The crying stopped, but I never imagined it would stop in such a way.”

Following the incident, Tulsi Rani made incoherent statements in front of the media. Neighbours believe that the tragic event occurred due to her physical illness and mental instability.

Her brother, Manik Mia, said tearfully, “My sister loved her children very much. But when a person is unwell, they are not normal. If she had been well, she would never have done this.”

Sabiti Sen, a member of the Kursha Union Parishad, said, “This is a very tragic incident. I have heard that the child’s mother has been suffering from mental illness.”

Officer-in-Charge of Taraganj Police Station M A Faruk said, “The woman has been detained. She has confessed to the killing. Relatives have stated that she was suffering from mental health issues. A case is under process.”