Father throws baby girl into pond in Punganur; child rescued by passersby

TIRUPATI: A daily-wage worker, after a tiff with his wife, tried to kill his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter by throwing her into a local pond in Punganur town of Chittoor district on Tuesday, police said.

Eyewitnesses rescued and shifted the child, Paleti Hasini, to the local hospital, where doctors said she was recovering and in good health.

The incident took place near Mangalam colony around 9.45am Tuesday. The father, 29-year-old Paleti Ayyappa, is a native of Peddpanjani mandal in Rajampeta district. He was arrested around 3.30pm following a complaint from his wife P Reddemma (24).

Police said the accused, apparently drunk, had a quarrel with his wife. After the incident, he tried to escape from the town, but police reached up to him and made the arrest.

Ayyappa married Reddemma six years ago. They also have a five-year-old son. Ayyappa suspected his wife’s fidelity and used to beat her up. Fed up with this, Reddemma left for her parents’ house six months ago.

“On Tuesday morning, Ayyappa went to his in-laws’ house and picked up an argument with his wife. After this, he took his child away while she was sleeping in a crib. He went to a pond and tossed her into the water.

Two persons who saw the act, Chandra Mohan and Jyothi, jumped into the water and pulled her out of the pond, police said.