Mumbai: Toddler thrashed to death by mother’s boyfriend

Rinnki Das, 23, the toddler’s mother was arrested by Meghwadi police

The Meghwadi police have arrested a live-in couple from Jogeshwari for allegedly killing the woman's 15-month-old child and falsely reporting the toddler's kidnapping. The police have arrested Rajesh Rana, 28 along with the toddler's mother Rinnki Das, 23. According to the police, the live-in couple, originally from Odisha, moved to Mumbai about four months ago with the child. Rana, who worked as a labourer, and Das were living at a construction site in the Jogeshwari area. The incident came to light when the couple informed the police that the child had been kidnapped. However, upon investigation, the police discovered that the couple had allegedly killed the child and disposed of the body in a drain near Aarey Milk Colony.

Rajesh Rana, 28

During the investigation, it was revealed that both Rana and Das were previously married to other people. Das had a son from her previous marriage, but after leaving her husband, she also left her son. Subsequently, she entered into a relationship with her uncle in her village. Das became pregnant from this relationship and when her family discovered this, a Panchayat was convened. The uncle promised to marry her after a few months but absconded under the pretext of going out for work. After giving birth to the child, Das fell in love with Rana. She ran away with Rana, taking her child with her to Mumbai, where they started living together. Rana, however, did not like having another man's child with them and would often beat up the child.

On Tuesday, the day of the incident, Rana beat the child to death in front of Das and disposed of the body in a drain near Aarey Colony. The next day, on May 22, Das approached Meghwadi police station and falsely reported that someone had kidnapped the child, said an officer from Meghwadi police station.

According to the statement given to the police by Rana, he was at home when the child was crying, and since his wife's health was not good, he took the child to Meghwadi Market to purchase vegetables and fish. As he reached the market, his wife called him and asked him to return home. Without purchasing anything, he took an auto-rickshaw back. He claimed there was already one passenger in the auto-rickshaw, and after moving some distance, he smelled something and became unconscious. When he regained consciousness, his son was missing. He returned home, informed his wife about the missing boy, searched everywhere, and when he couldn't find him, he approached the Meghwadi police station to report the missing child, the officer added.

"As the boy was a minor and the matter was serious, we registered the case and, under the guidance of DCP Mangesh Kadam Zone 10, began the investigation. We checked the CCTV footage but found nothing, and had doubts about Rana's story. He told the police that the boy was crying, so he took him to the market, but CCTV footage showed that when the accused left the construction site, the boy was on his shoulder and appeared to be sleeping. We thoroughly interrogated him, and he broke down and confessed to the crime," the officer added.

The child was subjected to severe abuse at the hands of Rana and sustained several fractures. The police recovered the body of the child from the drain near Aarey Colony. "Rana killed the child by punching him in the face and chest. The boy had a couple of fractures from earlier injuries when Rana assaulted him in the mother's presence. Therefore, we have booked and arrested the duo," said Umesh Machindra, senior police inspector of Meghwadi police station. The couple were produced in the court and remanded to police custody till May 28.

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Age of the deceased, in months