Maharashtra man kills daughter to meet two-child norm for panchayat polls

A man from Maharashtra was arrested for allegedly killing his 6-year-old daughter in an attempt to meet the two-child eligibility norm for contesting upcoming panchayat elections, as per reports.

The accused, identified as Pandurang Kondmangale (28), a resident of Kerur village in Mukhed taluka of Nanded district, is accused of pushing his daughter into a canal in neighbouring Telangana’s Nizamabad district. Police have also arrested the village sarpanch, Ganesh Ramachandra Shinde, in connection with the case.

The body of a young girl was recovered from the Nizam Sagar canal in Yedapally a few days ago. Subsequent investigation led to the identification of the child as Prachi, a resident of Kerur village in Maharashtra.

Police initially questioned the girl’s father, who attempted to mislead investigators by claiming that the child was receiving medical treatment at a health centre. However, during sustained interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the crime.

The breakthrough came after photographs of the unidentified girl were circulated on social media. A resident of the Maharashtra village recognised the child after seeing her image as the display picture on a WhatsApp number linked to a police official and alerted authorities.

Following this lead, a police team visited Kerur village, conducted further inquiries, and arrested both the father and the sarpanch. The investigation is ongoing.