Six-month-old girl thrown in canal, mom confesses to murder

Tirupati: A day-long drama over the missing of a six-month-old baby girl ended in tragedy when the child, Ramya, was found dead in a nearby drainage canal on Friday, sending shockwaves across the locality.

According to Alipiri CI Ramkishore, preliminary investigation revealed that the girl’s mother, Vandana, was responsible for the killing. Unable to bear alleged harassment by her husband —an alcoholic with no stable income — and burdened by the responsibility of raising three daughters, Vandana reportedly decided to end the life of her youngest child.

Initially, she misled family members by claiming that the baby had gone missing, prompting the father to lodge a police complaint. The case was registered as a missing child, and intensive searches were launched. Later, during questioning, the mother told police that the infant had accidentally slipped into the canal while in her care. However, further inquiry confirmed her direct involvement in the crime.

Earlier in the day, district SP V Harshavardhan Raju visited the family’s residence, interacted with relatives, and inquired about possible disputes. He also formed three special teams to trace the child, which eventually led to the grim discovery.