A couple in Gujarat has been arrested for the murder of their 1.5-year-old daughter, whom they claimed was a "bad omen" to their family.
Mansukh Jograjiya and Prakashben, farmers, and parents to five children, were arrested after their youngest daughter, Ruhi, was found lifeless and battered in a sewage canal behind a hotel near Sayla town.
The couple's superstitious beliefs led them to commit this heinous act of violence, as they blamed Ruhi for a recent car accident they had encountered while driving to a nearby temple.
The police discovered inconsistencies in the couple's statements during the investigation, which eventually led to their confession. Post-mortem reports confirmed that Ruhi had died of injuries sustained while being dumped in the canal.
The couple has been charged with murder. This incident highlights the pervasive problem of superstition in India, which has led to tragic consequences in the past. In a similar incident reported earlier this year, a 7-year-old girl was brutally murdered in Kolkata by her neighbour as a "sacrifice".
