Woman, partner kill daughter for spilling ice cream inside car, held

ASix-year-old miss was allegedly killed after spilling water ice clobber interior a sumptuousness car, according to Bengaluru police, who say a month’s long investigation uncovered a homicide that was initially presented as a medical emergency.The case, which began with the child’s death at a villa in Bengaluru’s Seegehalli area on March 25, has now resulted in the arrest of her mother, Priyanka P, and her live-in partner, Mohan J Mahaningappa. Police allege the pair attempted to conceal the circumstances of the death before forensic evidence and witness statements pointed investigators in a different direction.Kadugodi police arrested Priyanka on Thursday in Hassan district. Mohan, a real estate businessman, had already been taken into custody. Both have been booked in connection with the murder.According to investigators, the events leading to the child’s death unfolded during a car journey on the night of March 24. Police allege Mohan became enraged after the girl spilled ice cream inside his vehicle.“During questioning, the accused revealed that Mohan became extremely angry after the child spilled ice cream inside his car. He allegedly struck the girl in the stomach with his elbow and later covered her mouth, leading to suffocation,” Kadugodi police inspector Govardhan said.Police contend that he punched her in the abdomen and later strangled her when she began crying in pain.The death was initially recorded as an unnatural death, and the circumstances surrounding it remained unclear for weeks. Police now allege that after the child died, Priyanka and Mohan spent nearly 12 hours with the body and drove around Bengaluru before reporting the death.Officers say the pair sought to portray the incident as a sudden medical complication. “The accused initially tried to portray the incident as a sudden health complication. However, medical evidence, post-mortem findings and forensic examination contradicted their version. The investigation clearly indicated foul play,” Govardhan said.The inquiry intensified after the child’s father, Praveen Basappa, filed a complaint on June 4 alleging that his daughter had been murdered.According to the complaint, Praveen and Priyanka married in 2007 and have two daughters. He alleged that Priyanka resumed a relationship with her college friend Mohan in late 2025 and later moved to Bengaluru with the younger child after seeking a divorce. Their elder daughter remained with him in Davanagere.Police said Mohan, who is married and has two children, had left his family and was living with Priyanka in an upscale villa in east Bengaluru. Investigators said he had purchased the property where Priyanka and the child were residing.The father’s complaint alleged that the child had become an obstacle to the couple’s relationship. He claimed the two were planning a future together and exploring the possibility of having a child through IVF.Investigators said they are examining whether the child had faced repeated abuse before her death. According to police, evidence gathered during the inquiry suggests she may have been subjected to mistreatment on multiple occasions.Praveen told investigators that he learned of his daughter’s death from Priyanka’s brother on March 25. When he sought details about what had happened, he was allegedly given conflicting explanations. In one account, Priyanka said the child had eaten biryani the previous night. In another, she allegedly said the girl had been given ice cream and later left sleeping inside an air-conditioned car while she and Mohan attended a birthday celebration.Unconvinced by those accounts, Praveen obtained the post mortem report and shared it with a relative, a paediatric specialist based in the United Kingdom. The doctor reportedly expressed concern about the circumstances of the death, leading him to approach police with allegations that the child had been assaulted and suffocated.“The father’s complaint raised serious allegations, which were thoroughly examined. The evidence collected during the investigation supports the murder charge registered against the accused,” Govardhan said.Police have taken Mohan into custody for 10 days for further interrogation, while they are questioning Priyanka about her role in the crime. Investigators are also examining digital evidence and forensic material collected from the vehicle involved.