One-year-old’s death in TVM: Grandmother alleges Shijil planned murder with family

Thiruvananthapuram: The grandmother of one-year-old Ehaan, who died in Neyyattinkara, alleged that the child's mother, Krishnapriya, was harassed over money by her husband, Shijil and his family since their marriage. Speaking to the media, she said that Shijil had planned the child's murder with the help of his parents.

She further added that Shijil's parents were hostile towards Krishnapriya after learning about the pregnancy and that they pressured her to undergo an abortion, which she refused. According to the grandmother, Krishnapriya was mentally and physically harassed throughout her pregnancy.

She also alleged that the family frequently forced Krishnapriya to return to her parental home, citing financial reasons. "Shijil's father, mother and sister should be questioned, and their actions should be probed by the police," she said.

Meanwhile, police on Friday arrested Shijil and remanded him to custody. The accused reportedly confessed to the crime after multiple rounds of questioning. Police said the cause of death was an injury to the child's lower abdomen. In his statement, Shijil allegedly said he struck the child with his elbow while the child was sitting on his lap.

According to the FIR registered at the Neyyattinkara police station, on January 16, around 9 pm, Ehaan's lips and mouth turned blue, and his body became cold while at their family's rented residence in Kavalakulam. Additionally, froth was also seen around his mouth. Ehaan was then rushed to a hospital in Neyyattinkara by his parents, Krishnapriya and Shijil, along with relatives. A casualty doctor examined the child and declared him dead at 9.33 pm.