A newborn was allegedly buried alive in a heap of dung to conceal an unmarried woman's pregnancy in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district, while the infant's grandfather allegedly attempted suicide after the incident, police said on Sunday.
The incident took place within the Waraseoni police station limits and came to light after villagers alerted the police on Friday over suspicious circumstances. The infant's body was exhumed on Saturday, police said.
According to police, villagers heard a baby's cries during the night and questioned the family, but received evasive replies, raising suspicion.
The village sarpanch later convened a meeting, during which an ASHA worker informed those present that the family's unmarried daughter had given birth to a baby, the official said.
Police, accompanied by a naib tehsildar and a medical team, then reached the village and exhumed the newborn's body from a dung heap, he said.
The infant was buried with a cloth tied around the mouth and neck, the official said, adding that the exact cause of death would be determined after a post-mortem examination.
Waraseoni Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Abhishek Choudhary said the woman's father allegedly consumed pesticide after the incident and was admitted to hospital in a serious condition.
A case of accidental death has been registered, and further legal action will be taken after the post-mortem report is received and the investigation progresses, he said.
(With inputs from PTI)