Hyderabad, Feb 3 (NationPress) A man hailing from Maharashtra committed the heinous act of killing one of his three children to bypass the two-child policy in order to participate in the upcoming Panchayat elections in the state.

Pandurang Kondmangale, a resident of Kerur village in Mukhed taluka of Maharashtra’s Nanded district, tragically pushed his six-year-old daughter into a canal located in Nizamabad district of Telangana.

On Monday, Nizamabad Police announced the arrest of Pandurang (28) and the village sarpanch, Ganesh Ramachandra Shinde.

Nizamabad Police Commissioner P. Sai Chaitanya informed the media that the body of a girl was discovered in the Nizam Sagar canal in Yedapally a few days prior. Investigations led to her identification as Prachi (6), a resident of Kerur village in the adjacent Nanded district.

The police apprehended her father for questioning. Initially, he attempted to mislead authorities by claiming that she was receiving treatment at a medical facility. However, during intense interrogation, he confessed to the crime.

The revelations during questioning were alarming. Pandurang, who owns a barber shop in his village, was eager to contest the forthcoming Panchayat elections. With a three-year-old son and twin daughters aged six, he was not eligible due to the two-child policy for candidates in local elections in Maharashtra.

He sought advice from his friend, the current village sarpanch, Ganesh Shinde, on how to circumvent this rule. Together, they plotted to eliminate one of his children, selecting Prachi, the older of the twins.

Initially, they considered placing Prachi for adoption, but realized this would not solve the issue since she would still be listed as his child on her birth certificate.

Pandurang also contemplated abandoning her but feared the potential repercussions if she returned. Ultimately, they devised a plan to murder her and disguise it as an accident.

Living near Nizamabad district, Pandurang took Prachi on his motorcycle to the Nizam Sagar canal, where he pushed her in and fled the scene. Nearby villagers, hearing a splash, rushed to find the girl’s lifeless body in the water and alerted the police, who subsequently launched an investigation.

Images of the girl circulated widely on social media. Someone from Maharashtra recognized Prachi when they spotted her photo as the display picture on a police officer's WhatsApp account.

A police team arrived at the village and initiated an inquiry, leading to the arrests of both Pandurang and the sarpanch.