A 25-year-old woman and her partner were arrested on Thursday for allegedly murdering her five-month-old baby boy near Kelamangalam in Krishnagiri district, police said.

According to the Kelamangalam police, the arrested accused have been identified as S. Bharathi (25) of Chinnatti village and Sumithra (22) of the same locality.

Domestic dispute led to crime, say police

An investigation officer said Bharathi was married to K. Suresh (38) and had three children — two daughters aged five and three, and an infant son named Dhruvan.

“Bharathi was reportedly in a relationship with Sumithra, which caused frequent disputes with her husband. Following repeated quarrels, she had recently moved to her mother’s house in Kunthumaranapalli but was later brought back home by family members,” the officer said.

Police said that on November 2, when Suresh and other relatives were away for work, Bharathi allegedly suffocated the infant to death. “When her family returned, she claimed the child had died of suffocation while sleeping. Believing her, the family performed the final rites and buried the body,” the officer added.

Suspicion leads to complaint

On Tuesday, Suresh lodged a complaint with the Kelamangalam police, expressing doubts about his son’s death. Acting on the complaint, police began an investigation and questioned Bharathi.

“During inquiry, Bharathi confessed to having killed the child, allegedly at the instigation of Sumithra,” the officer said. Police recovered a text message Bharathi had sent to Sumithra, purportedly admitting to the crime and sharing a photo of the deceased infant.

Both women were arrested based on their statements and other evidence collected during the probe. They were produced before a judicial magistrate and remanded in custody.

Further investigation underway

Authorities said the motive behind the crime appears to be linked to the woman’s domestic and personal disputes. Police have also seized electronic evidence, including messages and videos exchanged between the two.

The body of the infant may be exhumed for postmortem examination as part of further investigation, officials added.