THANE: A 17-year-old differently-abled girl was allegedly killed by her mother, who later disposed of the body with the help of the victim's grandmother and another unidentified woman in Thane city, police said on Monday.
The gruesome crime took place in the Gaodevi area of Naupada, and a video of the body being disposed of has gone viral on social media. The motive for the killing remains unclear.
According to a press release from the Naupada police, a complaint has been registered against the three women under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 3(5) (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
A 42-year-old woman provided information that led to the filing of the FIR against the accused, the release stated.
The victim, who had been bedridden since birth due to a physical disability, was unable to walk or talk. Reports indicate that she had been suffering from a severe illness since 15 February, police said.
On the night of 19 February, the victim's 39-year-old mother allegedly administered medication that caused her death.
In the early hours of the following day, at around 1:30 am, the woman, along with her 60-year-old mother and another unidentified woman aged between 35 and 40, wrapped the girl’s body in a white bedsheet, placed it in a car, and transported it to an undisclosed location where it was disposed of, police said.
CCTV footage has emerged showing the three women carrying the body to a car and driving off.
However, speaking to the media, the girl's father insisted his daughter was still alive and had been taken elsewhere for treatment, as medical care in Thane was too costly.
Police are continuing their investigation to locate the victim’s remains and establish further details regarding the disposal site and the identity of the third woman.