Delhi woman drowns 2-year-old nephew in water tank over ‘stolen money grudge’

A police team reached the residence and met the caller, Basanti. “She said the baby is that of her sister, Reena, and that she found him crying outside the house. According to her, she took the baby inside and placed him in their parents’ room to sleep. The baby’s seven-year-old sister did not find him inside and alerted the neighbours. Subsequently, Basanti made a PCR call,” said the DCP.

Police then reviewed CCTV footage and found that no one had entered the house before the older sister raised the alarm — except Basanti, who went inside with the baby and came out without him.

Police found the child’s body inside a 3,000-litre water tank on the terrace of the house. “Based on circumstantial evidence, Basanti was taken in custody. She accepted she had killed the baby as she had suspicion that the baby’s father had stolen Rs 10,000 from her mother around 20 days back and due to that, she had quarrels with the baby’s family. She claimed she killed the baby Wednesday to teach them a lesson,” said a police statement.

A senior officer said: “The family lives in a joint setting… Basanti also held a grudge that her sister had three sons, including Ayush, while she had three daughters and no son.”