NEDUMANGAD: A woman was arrested in Nedumangad on Thursday for murdering her newborn baby and burying it in the backyard of her house. The incident that shook the state took place at Mankuzhi near Panavoor. The arrested has been identified as Thottinkara native Viji (29). It was a neighbour who discovered the baby's dead body after she noticed a swarm of flies near the papaya tree behind the house. Viji's elder child told her that she saw blood in his mother's room. Following this, the neighbours informed the police.

According to police, Viji got separated from her husband years ago and has been living with her daughters and parents. She has been hiding the fact that she was pregnant by informing the neighbours that she had a tumour on her stomach that required surgery.

On Sunday, Viji delivered the baby naturally after drinking juice that contained extracts of various herbs. Later, she strangled the child to death and kept the body inside a shelf in the house. The body was buried behind the house later in the night. Her father Maniyan and her daughters were at home on the day of the incident.

Viji's husband Rajesh is a construction worker. The two got separated four years ago. District Police Chief B Ashokan and Nedumangad Tehsildar MK. Anil Kumar visited the spot. The inquest proceedings were led by Nedumangad Police Inspector Rajesh Kumar and the body was shifted to the Nedumangad District Hospital mortuary.