Hopes dashed, body of missing three-year-old Kalyani found from Chalakudy river

KOCHI: The body of three-year-old Kalyani, who went missing while traveling with her mother in Kochi, has been found. The body of the child was found by divers from the Chalakudy river. The news of the tragedy reached the locals after a search that lasted for about five hours. The search was conducted in the river and nearby areas under the leadership of the police and fire force, following the mother's statement that the child was abandoned near the Moozhikulam bridge. A scuba diving team also arrived for the search.

Kalyani is the daughter of Subhash, a native of Varikoli Mattakuzhy, Kolenchery. Yesterday, the child's mother went to the Anganwadi in Mattakuzhy and took the child with her and went to her own home in Kurumaseri. CCTV footage of the two getting off the bus at Moozhikulam was obtained, and the Chalakudy river is a hundred meters away from the stop. The woman had reached this bridge with the child, and later went to her house in Kurumaseri alone. The auto driver also confirmed this. Kalyani's mother's first statement was that the child was with her till Aluva and was not seen after that. Later, the woman changed her statements.
She spoke in contradictory terms. When she was taken into custody and questioned, she gave a statement that she had abandoned the child near the bridge.