Kolkata, November 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A woman has been arrested in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district for allegedly beating her four-year-old stepdaughter to death, triggering outrage among local residents who have demanded stringent punishment for the accused, police said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Mousumi Khatun, was arrested after the death of the child, Farzana Khatun, in the Katabari Sarkarpara area under Sagarpara police station.
According to preliminary information, the child was allegedly assaulted on Saturday night. When her condition deteriorated, she was taken to Sagarpara Primary Health Centre, where doctors declared her dead.
Police sent the body to Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Further investigation is underway.
The child’s father reportedly works in Kerala, while her biological mother had left the family around three years ago. Her father subsequently married Mousumi.
Local residents alleged that the girl had been subjected to repeated physical and mental abuse by her stepmother. They claimed she was not fed properly, was prevented from attending school and had been beaten on earlier occasions.
A relative, Nurefa Bibi, alleged that the accused routinely assaulted the child and sometimes covered her mouth to stop her from crying. She also claimed that the girl was kept isolated at home and that neighbours were discouraged from intervening.
Bibi said she saw the child lying in a severely weakened condition with multiple injuries and bruises before she was taken to hospital.
The incident has sparked anger in the locality, with relatives and residents demanding the death penalty for the accused. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and the allegations of prolonged abuse.
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