Balussery: A young woman's bid to cover up the murder of her newborn failed as the baby's cries when its throat was being slit alerted her neighbours. The 24-year-old woman, who is estranged from her husband for the past two years, had planned to bury her newborn on Sunday immediately after killing it.
The woman has been identified as Rinsha. She has been arrested by the Balussery police in Kozhikode district
Rinsha was into the full term of pregnancy, but it had been a closely guarded secret, known only to her mother and a few other close people. She planned to do away with the infant in a bid to protect her honour in the society, police said, adding the baby bled to death minutes after she was born in the wee hours of Sunday.
Rinsha had slit her neck with a blade immediately after the delivery at home.
The murder at Rinsha's home at Valiyamalakkuzhi colony in Paramukku, Nirmalloor, has sent shockwaves across the state. The crime happened at around 2 am. The neighbours heard Rinsha cry out as she delivered , but they were aghast on hearing the baby scream soon. The baby went silent a little while later, raising suspicion. The neighbours then informed the police.
The police found Rinsha lying in a pool of blood as they arrived at around 3 am, and the newborn's body was found wrapped in a plastic bag. The child, drained of her blood, had died by the time the police arrived.
Rinsha had to be rushed to Kozhikode Medical College because she was bleeding. Circle Inspector K. Susheer recorded her arrest at the hospital and the magistrate remanded her there itself. Any interrogation of the accused could not be conducted because of her medical condition.
However, Rinsha's mother Reena and brother Rinshad would have to be grilled again, the police said. It was her mother who attended the delivery.
Rinsha would have disposed off the baby's body and continued to live her life normally if the neighbours had not heard the baby cry. She used to interact with her neighbours only very rarely. The family wasn't willing to let in neighbours who came running when they heard the child crying.
The baby's burial took place in the evening with local people attending.
