A 25-year-old man has been arrested in Delhi for allegedly killing his 10-month-old daughter and hiding her body in a septic tank at his home in the Bhalswa Dairy area, police said on Monday. The accused, Deepak, had initially told police that the infant had been kidnapped while he had stepped out to buy milk and biscuits on Saturday.
A complaint regarding the alleged abduction was received on May 24, following which police launched a large-scale search operation.
According to police, several teams were formed to trace the child. CCTV cameras in and around the locality were checked as part of the investigation. However, officers later found inconsistencies in Deepak’s statements.
"A massive search operation due to the sensitive nature of the case was launched. Multiple police teams were formed immediately, and CCTV footage around the locality was scanned to trace the infant and identify possible suspects," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer North district) Hareshwar Swami said in a statement.
CCTV footage fakes accused father’s claim
Investigators said the CCTV footage did not support Deepak’s claim that he had gone outside when the child allegedly disappeared. His movements could not be verified through any of the footage collected from nearby areas, raising suspicion among investigators.
Additionally, Deepak’s father told police that his son had returned home saying the child was missing.
“We then called people from the neighbourhood and started searching for her, but we could not find her. We informed the police, and a massive hunt was launched,” he said.
Deepak’s wife, Surya, also told investigators that she and their elder daughter had suddenly fallen unconscious after her husband went out.
"His movements could not be corroborated through any footage collected from nearby areas. Suspecting foul play, the teams intensified questioning and subjected the accused to sustained interrogation," the DCP said.
Accused admits to committing crime after interrogation
During questioning, Deepak allegedly confessed to strangling the infant. Police said he later dumped the body in the septic tank of his house in an attempt to hide the crime.
According to police, the accused claimed he was facing financial difficulties and felt unable to manage the expenses of raising a second daughter. Following his confession, police recovered the child’s body from the house in the presence of forensic and crime teams.
ALSO READ: UP: Amroha family hires contract killer to murder drug-addicted son; father and brother nabbed
