Thiruvananthapuram: A newborn baby boy was found dead, wrapped in a blanket and hidden under a cot in a house at Poozhanadu in Ottasekharamangalam, in a case that has raised suspicions of murder.

The infant was found by Althaf, 30, an autorickshaw driver, when he returned home around 11.30 am on Sunday to take his wife Shamna to the hospital after she began bleeding heavily. While preparing to leave, he went into the bedroom to pick up his footwear, which was kept beneath the cot. It was then that he noticed a wet blanket covering something. On opening it, he found the newborn lying unconscious inside.

The baby was immediately rushed along with Shamna to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared the infant brought dead. Family members told police that they were unaware that Shamna, 21, who is already the mother of a two-year-old boy, was pregnant.

"Earlier in the morning, Althaf had briefly returned home around 6 am after going out to assist a local butcher. At the time, Shamna complained of severe abdominal pain, which she attributed to gastritis, and refused to seek medical attention. Later, Althaf’s sister noticed her bleeding. When questioned, Shamna reportedly said it was heavy menstruation," said Ottasekharamangalam panchayat member Sajeela Beevi.

"As the bleeding worsened, the family grew alarmed and asked Althaf to return home. On reaching, he found his wife lying in a pool of blood. He cleaned her up, changed her clothes, and attempted to take her to the hospital in their autorickshaw when he made the shocking discovery," Sajeela added.

She said that the family initially believed the baby might still be alive. “They thought they saw slight movement in the infant’s hands, but everyone was in a state of panic,” she said. Hospital authorities alerted the Ariyancode police, who registered a case under Section 194 (unnatural death) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhitha (BNSS).

Police said the inquest procedures have been completed and a postmortem will be conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. "The exact cause of death will be determined only after the examination," said an official from the Ariyancode police station.

However, according to Sajeela, the infant’s body bore multiple injuries, including two deep cuts on the neck, swelling, and bluish discolouration. She also claimed that the umbilical cord appeared to have been cut with utmost precision. She added that family members had earlier suspected pregnancy due to changes in Shamna’s physical appearance, but she had denied it, attributing it to weight gain. Even when questioned about the bleeding, she maintained that it was menstrual.
Police said further investigation is underway. Shamna is currently under treatment at the SAT Hospital.