Day after baby found dead inside water barrel

PUDUKKIOTTAI: The 20-year-old mother of a five-month-old boy who was found dead in a plastic water barrel adjacent to her house in Puliyur in the early hours of Sunday was arrested on Monday for murdering him.

Police said the woman Lavanya was in emotional distress and often quarrelled with her husband. They suspect this may have driven her to commit the act. Lavanya initially claimed that unidentified people had entered her house, snatched her gold chain and abducted her baby.

After the infant was found dead in the water barrel hours later, Lavanya’s mother-in-law lodged a complaint with the Keeranur police. Based on interrogation, police arrested Lavanya. Police added that her husband K Manikandan (31), who works in Nagpur, did not show affection towards her and had a strong emotional bond with the baby.