Father Arrested for Allegedly Killing Five-Year-Old Daughter in Dumka

Dumka: A person was arrested on Thursday night and sent to jail for allegedly killing his five-year-old daughter by throwing her into a well at Maheshjora village in Dumka district.

The accused has been identified as Manoj Rai and the deceased, Pushpa Kumari. The toddler went missing on Wednesday after Manoj had a fight with his wife over selling a piece of land.

"The accused’s wife, Ramvati Devi, suspected his hand in the disappearance of the child and confided it in other villagers who beat up Manoj following which he disclosed having thrown the child into the well," the officer in-charge of Hansdiha police station, Prakash Kumar Singh, said. After the police were informed, they retrieved the body on Thursday.

Ramvati Devi has alleged that in the past Manoj had sold multiple pieces of land to buy liquor, police said. When his wife stopped him from selling more land, he killed his own daughter.

"The autopsy report is awaited to ascertain whether the accused threw his daughter after killing her or she died of drowning in the well," the OC said, adding that the accused was forwarded to judicial custody on Friday.