Woman scalds 10-year-old niece with hot iron box over Rs 4 lakh inheritance, arrested

TUMAKURU: A woman scalded her niece, a Class 5 student, with a hot iron box at Nidragatta in Madakasira taluk of Andhra Pradesh over inheritance money which was in the girl’s bank account. The woman and her son have since been arrested.

The girl, Lakshmi, a resident of Pujarahalli in Madhugiri taluk, had lost her mother Narasamma four years ago. Narasamma had a joint account with her daughter and had left behind a fixed deposit of Rs 4 lakh for her. Narasamma’s elder sister Nanjamma had her eye on the girl’s fixed deposit and would constantly harass her.

Last Saturday, Nanjamma took Lakshmi to her house in Nidragatta and scalded the girl with a hot iron box while her son Basavaraju had gagged her. The issue came to light when the girl did not attend her exams which are going on, when other villagers and teachers brought her back to Pujarahalli and questioned her.

Lakshmi was scalded with an iron box by her aunt.

“I have Rs 4 lakh in my bank account. My aunt Nanjamma and cousin Basavaraju asked me to sign on some paper, but I refused. Basavaraju gagged me and my aunt scalded with the hot iron box. My other cousin Mahalakshmi is not involved in this”, the girl can be heard saying in a video.

Legislative Council member R Rajendra visited the girl at the Madhugiri taluk hospital where she is undergoing treatment. He also called up the Education Department officials and directed that the girl be given concession to write her exams.

District Child Protection Officer D Anusha said since the incident occurred at Nidragatta in Andhra Pradesh, the case will be transferred to the women and child development and police departments in that state. “The entire incident occurred in the neighbouring state and hence we are transferring the case. The department is providing her treatment and the entire cost will be borne by the district child protection committee”.

The officer also said the girl wil be placed under the care of her father. “An FIR has been registered against Nanjamma and her son Basavarju and transferred to Madakasira police who have arrested them”, she added.