Stepfather held for killing 3-year-old in Puzhal

The police had detained the child Yazhini’s mother Bhavani and the her second husband Asif for interrogation on Tuesday. When Asif was grilled, he allegedly admitted that he murdered the child when Bhavani stepped out to buy milk on Sunday night, said the police.

“Asif thought Yazhini as a hindrance to his relationship with Bhavani. So when Bhavani was away, he hit the child with an iron rod on her head and punched her on the chest and abdomen. When Bhavani returned, he told her that Yazhini fell on the floor and became unconscious,” said the police.

While they took Yazhini to the hospital, she was declared dead on arrival. Bhavani’s estranged husband Ramesh of Vyasarpadi, who came to know about his child’s death, alerted the police control room after which Puzhal police took up the case for investigation. Asif was remanded in judicial custody on Tuesday.