A woman has been taken into custody after allegedly throwing her three-year-old daughter into the Chalakudy river. The accused, Sandhya, is said to have picked up her daughter Kalyani from the local Anganwadi centre around 3:30 pm on Monday. However, she returned home alone, prompting questions from her mother, Ally, about the child's whereabouts.

Initially, Sandhya claimed that Kalyani had gone missing from a bus. Concerned locals and police quickly launched a search operation. CCTV footage later revealed Sandhya was near the Chalakudy river around the time of the child's disappearance. Upon interrogation, she reportedly confessed to having thrown the child into the water, as per a report on IANS.

Kalyani's body was recovered from the river by local residents around 3:30 AM on Tuesday. Sandhya was subsequently taken into custody and Ernakulam Rural Police are expected to formally arrest her after initial procedures.

Family Tensions Emerge

According to police, ongoing domestic strife may have contributed to the tragic event. Sandhya’s husband, Subhash, alleged that she often disregarded his opinions and instead listened only to her mother and sister. "Sandhya only listened to her sister and mother. Reports have now surfaced that she was mentally unsound, which is false. She was perfectly fine," said Subhash, as per the report.

Talking to Manorama news, Sandhya's mother said that Sandhya has anger issues and has been impulsive but did not take any treatment. She alleged that Sandhya faced abuse at her in-law's residence.

Soumya, a teacher at the Anganwadi where Kalyani was enrolled, expressed profound grief. "For the past 18 months, we were like a family. The children gelled well and were happy when they were here during the daytime. We are shocked that Kalyani, who was with us till yesterday, is no longer with us," added Soumya.