A 28-year-old man from Maharashtra’s Nanded district has been arrested for allegedly killing his six-year-old daughter by drowning her in a canal in neighbouring Telangana. He killed the toddler in a bid to make himself eligible to contest the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections, police said on Monday, according to reports.
The accused, identified as Pandurang Kondamangale, a barber by profession and a resident of Kerur village in Mukhed taluka, reportedly murdered one of his twin daughters after realising that Maharashtra’s two-child norm for local body elections would disqualify him from contesting.
How Telangana Police Cracked The Case With Help From Maharashtra Police?
The case came to light after a Telangana Police constable posted the photograph of an unidentified child’s body found in the Nizamsagar canal as his WhatsApp status, appealing for information. The image was subsequently shared across police stations.
Within hours, a police officer from Maharashtra contacted the Bodhan police station in Nizamabad district, identifying the child as Prachi, the daughter of Pandurang, who had been reported missing.
How The Father Killed His Daughter To Contest Maharashtra Panchayat Elections
When questioned, Pandurang gave inconsistent responses, prompting investigators to examine his mobile phone records. Police tracked his mobile tower locations, which confirmed that he had travelled to Telangana around the time the child’s body was found.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly broke down and confessed to killing his daughter.
According to police, Pandurang rode towards Nizamabad district on January 29 with his daughter on a motorcycle. He allegedly threw the child into a canal located nearly 90 kilometres from his native village.
Local residents later noticed the girl’s body in the canal and alerted the police, who recovered the remains.
What Is The Two-Child Policy To Contest Maharashtra Sarpanch Elections?
Police said Pandurang had been planning to contest the post of Sarpanch in the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections in Maharashtra. However, under state law, individuals with more than two children are barred from contesting local body polls.
Pandurang lived with his wife and three children, two daughters and a son, and ran a salon in Mukhed.
Investigators revealed that the sitting Sarpanch had allegedly suggested that Pandurang give one of his children up for adoption to meet the eligibility criteria.
Attempts To Contest Maharashtra Panchayat Elections
Before allegedly committing the crime, Pandurang reportedly tried to change the birth certificate of his son to manipulate official records. He even travelled to the Pune Corporation office in an attempt to alter the document, but his efforts failed.
Following this, police said, the accused devised a plan to eliminate one of his children and later report the child as missing.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
