A shocking case of alleged child murder has come to light in Salem district, where a 23-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly poisoning her 18-month-old son to death.
According to police, the accused, identified as Lalitha of Varagur near Attur, allegedly killed the child after viewing him as an obstacle to her plans for a second marriage. The incident has sparked outrage and disbelief among local residents.
Investigators said Lalitha had been living separately from her husband, Thirumalai Vasudevan, following marital disputes.
While their younger son, aged 18 months, was staying with Lalitha, their elder son, Harsanraj, had been living with his father.
The couple’s strained relationship had reportedly resulted in a prolonged separation, during which Lalitha is said to have developed a relationship with another man.
According to police inquiries, Lalitha was planning to marry the man and allegedly believed that caring for her young son would complicate her future plans.
Investigators suspect that this led her to take the extreme step of eliminating the child. Authorities stated that the alleged motive emerged during the course of the investigation and subsequent questioning.
Police said Lalitha allegedly mixed poison into food and fed it to the toddler. After the child lost consciousness, she reportedly attempted to present the incident as a sudden medical emergency and rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment.
However, doctors examined the boy and declared him dead on arrival, raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding the death.
Following the child’s death, police launched an investigation and gathered evidence, including medical reports and witness statements.
As inquiries progressed, investigators allegedly uncovered information pointing to deliberate poisoning. Based on the evidence collected, Lalitha was taken into custody and later arrested in connection with the case.