COIMBATORE: In a shocking incident, a 46-year-old daily wager strangulated a two-week-old daughter to death in Krishnagiri, upset with his wife giving birth to a girl baby, a fifth female child born in wedlock out of the six of their children.

Police arrested the accused Madhaiyan from Irular Colony near Kelamangalam. After separating from his first wife, with whom he had two sons, Madhaiyan married Chinnamma (38) from ‘Onnukurikai’ village.

Madhaiyan has a son and four daughters in the second marriage. Meanwhile, Chinnamma gave birth to a girl baby a fortnight ago. “On Thursday night, Madhaiyan insisted on killing the baby as it was their fifth girl child, which his wife refused to do. All of a sudden, he lifted the baby and rushed out of the house overpowering the resistance by his wife,” police said.

On hearing the loud cries, the neighbours came out and launched a search for Madhaiyan and the baby. Sometime later, they spotted the baby lying motionless on a rock, a little distance away from the house.

The baby was immediately rushed to Kelamangalam Primary Health Centre, where doctors examined and declared brought dead. The Kelamangalam police sent the body of the baby for a post-mortem. After a search, the police arrested the accused, who confessed to having killed the baby by strangulation.

This incident comes close on the heels of a man beating his five-month-old daughter to death frustrated with its cries in Ooty on Sunday.