Battered baby’s mother arrested

The Borivli police on Thursday arrested 3-month-old Ahuti Joshi’s mother, Dharmishtha, for assaulting the baby and causing her death.

According to the police, Dharmishtha suffered from low blood pressure. She would get irritated every time little Ahuti started crying, and would beat the infant up.

The police arrested Dharmishtha on murder charges after she confessed to having killed her daughter in her statement to the police.

She was produced in court on Friday and has been remanded in police custody till October 12.

“During the interrogation, Dharmishtha told us that on September 24 (the fifth day of Ganpati idol immersions) her husband Kalpesh took their older daughter to see the processions,” said senior inspector Bhagwan Chate of the Borivli police station.

“Dharmishtha was alone at home with the infant when she started crying. In a fit of rage, Dharmishtha squeezed her neck and skull and hit her,” he added.

Baby Ahuti died on October 1 after sustaining fractures to her skull and ribs.

“The baby’s father, Kalpesh, was not aware of the incident, so he is most likely not involved in the murder. But we have not given him a clean chit yet, and we are investigating the case from all possible angles. We will also investigate the reason behind the death of Ahuti’s twin sister, who died after 12 days of her birth,” said another police officer.