Woman, arrested for killing her children, found dead in prison

Bengaluru: A 29-year-old woman, held in judicial custody for the alleged murder of her two children, was found dead in the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, officials said on Sunday.

Gangadevi was found hanging in a prison washroom on Friday, with initial suspicions indicating suicide. She was taken to hospital, where she was declared dead.

Gangadevi allegedly smothered and killed Lakshmi (7) and Gautham (9) around 12.30 am and then informed the police control room of some disturbance in the area. When the police reached her house and found the bodies, she confessed to the murder, an officer said.

A police investigator said that Gangadevi, described as mentally disturbed and unemployed, had likely murdered her children due to financial struggles.

Earlier in March, she accused her husband Naresh of harassing their daughter. Consequently, the Jalahalli police arrested Naresh under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and placed him in judicial custody.