GOPALGANJ, Oct 3: A 17-year-old mother allegedly drowned her 10-day-old daughter before attempting to take her own life in Tungipara Upazila of the district on Thursday night.
The deceased infant's mother, identified as Ria Mondal, wife of Tapas Mondal of Gopalpur Uttarpara, was rescued from the water by locals and later detained by police for interrogation.
According to police and family sources, Ria had been showing unusual behaviour since giving birth to her daughter. On Thursday evening, she left her in-laws' house at Gopalpur Paschimpara with the newborn and took a battery-run van to Barni Madhyapara Eidgah ferry ghat area.
Quoting witnesses, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tungipara Police Station Zahidul Islam Jahangir said that Ria first threw her infant into the Barni Baor and then jumped into the water herself. Locals, who were on their way to catch fish, saw her struggling and rescued her by boat.
They later informed the police, who recovered the body of the child and took Ria into custody. The infant's body was sent to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
"A murder case is being processed over the incident. The reason behind Ria's actions could not be known immediately. We expect to learn more after interrogation," OC Jahangir added.
