Kochi: Investigators looking into the murder of a four-year-old girl near Aluva suspect that her 36-year-old uncle, accused of sexually abusing her shortly before her death, may have paedophilic tendencies. The police found incriminating evidence during a forensic analysis of his phone and are now investigating whether he may have exploited other children as well.

The child's mother, currently in police custody, reportedly admitted to killing her daughter by throwing her into a river. She told police that the act was for revenge against her husband and his family for their continued neglect. She also said she was unaware that her daughter had been sexually abused over an extended period, which, according to the post-mortem report, had persisted for at least a year.

However, on the day of her arrest, the mother had informed officers about the uncle’s inappropriate behaviour toward the child. Based on her statement and subsequent circumstantial evidence, the police detained him. Investigators plan to interrogate both the mother and the uncle together to uncover more details. The autopsy revealed that the child had been subjected to unnatural sexual abuse since the age of three. On Friday, the investigating team filed a request before the magistrate’s court in Kolenchery seeking the suspect’s custody for further questioning.