Patna, April 10 A one-year-old toddler was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Nalanda on Friday, sending shockwaves through the local community.
The incident occurred in Chulhari village under the jurisdiction of the Asthawan Police Station.
The deceased, identified as Karu Kumar, was the son of Raju Paswan, a resident of Uttar Pradesh.
He had accompanied his mother, Aarti Paswan, to attend the upcoming wedding of his maternal uncle, Dilkhush Kumar, scheduled for April 21.
According to family members, tensions arose within the household after Aarti’s elder sister, Sumantri Devi, alleged that her mobile phone had gone missing and suspected Aarti.
The dispute escalated, creating bitterness between the two sisters.
In a disturbing turn of events, a local woman—reportedly associated with a spiritual sect—was called in to perform a ritual involving “consecrated water” to identify the alleged culprit.
The ritual, rooted in superstition, reportedly intensified tensions within the family.
Later that night, around 10 PM on Thursday, Aarti discovered that her child was missing from the bed, triggering panic among family members.
As all doors were bolted from inside, suspicion of an outsider’s involvement was ruled out.
After an extensive search, the child’s body was found floating in a nearby pond on Friday.
Serious allegations have been levelled against the child’s elder maternal aunt in connection with the death.
Speaking on the matter, Station House Officer of Asthawan police station, Uttam Kumar, stated that, prima facie, the cause of death appears to be drowning.
However, he confirmed that allegations of murder have been made by the child’s mother, and all aspects of the case are under investigation.
Police have conducted a post-mortem examination and handed over the body to the family.
Officials stated that further action will be taken based on the complaint filed by the aggrieved party.
The tragic incident has raised serious concerns over the role of superstition and internal family disputes, with the entire village left in a state of shock.
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