The police have arrested Hanumantha on charges inflicting burns on a three-year-old girl with a beedi and leaving her with Chikkathayamma, his brother’s wife, for adoption. The girl is the daughter of his lover Kavitha. The police have also arrested Kavitha.

Hanumantha allegedly inflicted burns all over the girl’s body as she did not stop crying when he was in an inebriated condition.

He has admitted to the crime, district Superintendent of Police Bhushan Bhorase told reporters here on Wednesday. Hailing from Vaddara Colony in Malavalli taluk of the district, he was working in Bangalore, where he met Kavitha.

Kavitha is already married and has a son and a daughter, the three-year-old victim. Hanumantha, who did not want the children to disturb their relationship, had left the boy with his first wife. Bhorase said Hanumantha and Kavitha had been remanded in judicial custody.