UP: Teenage girl hides infant inside bed after being beaten cleric; child suffocates to death

Baghpat (UP), Aug 17 (PTI) A 14-year-old madrasa student, allegedly upset over being beaten by a cleric, hid an 11-month-old infant inside a bed, leading to the child’s death due to suffocation in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat, the police said on Sunday.

The incident took place in the Tanda village under Chaprauli police station area here on Saturday.

Police said the teenager was allegedly beaten nearly a week ago by Mufti Shahzad for keeping a mobile phone and failing to memorise lessons. Aggrieved over the alleged assault, the girl locked the infant named Talha — the adopted son of the cleric’s brother-in-law — inside a bed on Saturday night, they said.

By Sunday morning, Talha’s family launched a frantic search when the baby could not be found. A foul smell emanating from the bed led to the recovery of his body, following which the police were informed.

Officials said CCTV footage from the madrasa clearly showed the girl placing the child inside the bed.

She was held and questioned, during which she allegedly confessed to the act, saying she was driven by anger and humiliation.

“Mufti and his wife used to beat her for keeping a mobile phone. Upset by this, she hid the baby in the bed, causing his death. She has admitted her guilt,” Additional Superintendent of Police N P Singh told PTI.

The infant’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway, the police added. PTI COR ABN ABN MNK MNK