CHENNAI: An 18-month-old girl was allegedly beaten to death by her mother Priyanka and Priyanka’s husband Velu at their house in TP Chatram Friday evening. Police said husband and wife initially claimed the child, Pushpam, fell ill and died. However, police investigations revealed that the child had allegedly been beaten to death by the duo.Twenty-two-year-old Priyanka, a resident of T P Chatram, had reportedly married Velu in 2010. “A year after their wedding, Velu was remanded in an assault case and lodged in Puzhal prison.
Meanwhile, Priyanka was in a relationship with Dinesh of the same locality for some four years. The couple had two children, Pushpam and two-and-a-half-year-old Divyasri,” claimed Priyanka’s mother Egavali. She was at the Kilpauk Mortuary on Saturday waiting to collect her granddaughter’s body.
Egavali said things soured between Priyanka and Dinesh when the latter went to prison for assault. Priyanka, and her children, reportedly started living with Velu a year ago after he was released on bail. Velu would do odd jobs for a living while Priyanka would sometimes beg near government hospitals,” claimed Gopal, Priyanka’s relative.
Egavali said on Friday when she was was returning from work at Kilpauk Medical College canteen she saw her second daughter and Divyasri near a temple in the locality. “When I asked about Pushpam, they said she was at home playing. When I reached the house, I found Velu on a chair scared and Pushpam, who had marks on her leg, on the floor. Priyanka, who had gone out, returned and said she’d take Pushpam to the hospital,” said Egavali. “I went back to work at 3pm but around 9pm I got a call in which I was told Pushpam was dead,” she said.
“About three months ago, Velu had broken Pushpam’s right leg and forced her to go begging with her mother. Before that he hit the child with a knife and I took her to the hospital. At that time, we filed a police complaint and he was warned and let off,” said Gopal.
“My daughter was aware Velu was abusing Pushpam but remained silent as he threatened to kill her,” said Egavali, adding she suspected the duo had killed the child. Police said Velu and Priyanka rushed Pushpam to the hospital after she started vomiting but she was declared brought dead. “They told us she died of stomach pain but during our probe it was revealed Priyanka had stamped on the child. However, this can be only confirmed by postmortem reports,” a senior police officer said. The couple has been arrested.