The baby was born late on October 2 in the Chanderi area and was admitted to the hospital shortly after for medical observation. (Image generated using AI)The mother of a day-old baby girl has been arrested for allegedly strangling her daughter inside the maternity ward of the District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Ashoknagar, with police saying the woman, who was hoping for a son, killed her daughter in a fit of anger.Police said the case was cracked after investigators examined hospital CCTV footage, questioned family members separately, and confronted the woman with the available evidence.The development came three days after the newborn was found dead at the hospital on October 3.The baby was born late on October 2 in the Chanderi area and was admitted to the hospital shortly after for medical observation.She was subsequently found dead under suspicious circumstances. A medical examination found that the death was not natural and that the infant had died after her neck was compressed, following which a case was registered at Kotwali police station.Investigators examined CCTV footage from cameras installed at the district hospital, but the maternity ward where the incident occurred did not have a camera, leaving a crucial gap in the investigation.Ashoknagar Superintendent of Police Rajiv Kumar Mishra said the police team subsequently questioned the deceased infant’s relatives separately and examined the available facts and circumstantial evidence.Story continues below this adThe mother told investigators that she already had a daughter and had been hearing discussions within the family about the expectation of having a son. She had hoped that the second child would be a boy, police said.When she gave birth to another girl at around 11.30 pm on October 2, she became disturbed, an officer said. The woman “became mentally disturbed and, in a fit of anger, strangled her newborn daughter,” the officer said.“The baby had blood coming from her mouth and marks resembling pressure around her neck. Given these circumstances, the hospital treated the death as suspicious and informed the police, following which the body was sent for post-mortem examination,” an official had said at the time of death.The possibility of a family member being responsible for the death had emerged also because access to the child was restricted as she was admitted to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU).Story continues below this adAccording to police, the mother was questioned after investigators found “discrepancies while reconstructing the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.”“The questioning was conducted after obtaining medical clearance and with the required sensitivity, given that the suspect was herself the mother of the deceased newborn,” SP Mishra said.Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More Tags:Madhya Pradesh