The Chennai Police on Wednesday arrested a 26-year-old woman for allegedly killing her six-year-old stepdaughter by throwing her from the terrace of a three-storey apartment building the previous day, the Hindustan Times reported. The police arrested Suryakala after she confessed to the crime during interrogation.

“When Suryakala’s husband had gone to his friend’s house on Tuesday, he was told that his daughter was missing for more than three hours,” a police officer said. “When he returned home, a weeping Suryakala told him that the girl was missing since 2 pm. After an hour-long search, Parthiban traced his daughter’s body outside the apartment, where she lay dead.”

The police officer said Parthiban thought his daughter could have fallen from the terrace while playing, as her body was lying close to the wall.

Selaiyur Police Station Inspector Y Srinivasan said the accused initially claimed she was innocent. However, the police became suspicious of Suryakala after she gave contradictory answers during interrogation. CCTV footage obtained from the building showed Suryakala moving outside her apartment.

“Suryakala disliked her stepdaughter,” a police officer said. “She first hit the child on her forehead with a piece of stone. As the six-year-old collapsed, Suryakala panicked and took her to the terrace and threw her down to make it look like an accidental death.”

Parthiban had married Suryakala three years ago after the death of his first wife Saranya, The Times of India reported. Parthiban and Suryakala have a one-year-old son, and she was pregnant with another child, which Parthiban wanted her to abort.

“It added fuel to Suryakala’s rage on the stepdaughter,” the police said. “Therefore, the accused decided to eliminate the girl. We have taken the accused to the medical checkup to find out whether she is actually pregnant or not.” The police have booked Suryakala for murder.

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