The murder case of a two-year-old girl in Balaramapuram took an unexpected turn on Friday when the Thiruvananthapuram Rural police detained a self-styled astrologer in connection with the crime.
The Balaramapuram police took the suspect, Pradeep Kumar, alias Shanghumughom Devi Dasan, into custody from his house in Karikkakom. While he is suspected to have had financial dealings with the girl’s mother, Pradeep is also under scrutiny for his alleged involvement in the incident.
Investigators are also exploring various angles to the crime including the possibility of the child’s death having been linked to superstitious practices.
The police found that the child’s uncle, who is the prime accused, had worked for the astrologer at his home for about a year and a half. The child’s mother had also accused Pradeep of defrauding her of ₹36 lakh under the pretext of constructing a house. Although she had filed a complaint with the police two weeks ago, inconsistencies in her statement had impeded the investigation.
Pradeep’s neighbours described him as a man who dabbled in a variety of activities including tutoring, running an egg business, storytelling, astrology and tantric rituals. He reportedly went by various names as he shifted between different livelihoods.
Meanwhile, the motive for the crime remains unclear, around two days since the crime had taken. The child’s uncle, who confessed to the murder a day earlier, reportedly claimed that he followed an “inner call” to commit the act. He was produced at a local court on Friday and remanded to judicial custody. Prior to this, he was taken to the scene of crime for evidence collection.
District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram Rural) Sudarsan K.S. told media persons that the accused is mentally unstable and has been taking medication for over five years. His statements to the police were inconsistent and he will be interrogated further. The investigators will also analyse his phone records including WhatsApp messages exchanged between the accused and his sister (the child’s mother), to explore the possible involvement of the latter in the crime.
The child’s mother remains under police surveillance and has been lodged in the Mahila Mandiram at Poojappura.
