CHATHANNOOR: A woman was arrested for abandoning her newborn baby in a pile of dry leaves. The arrested has been identified as Kalluvathukkal native Reshma (22). It was the DNA test that provided the turning point in the case.

The newborn baby was found abandoned in the yard of Surendran Pillai on January 5. It was Reshma's husband who informed the police about the incident. Though the child was rushed to the Paripally Medical College and Thiruvananthapuram SAT, it died on that night.

Reshma's arrest was registered after she testified that she abandoned the baby to go with her boyfriend whom she met on Facebook. She got close to Anandu, a native of Kollam, through chatting while her husband went to work. Anandu had promised to marry her if she left her three-year-old daughter and husband. Reshma became pregnant for the second time when she was getting ready to go with her boyfriend. Following this, she hid this information from her husband and family. Reshma gave birth on January 4 at 8.30 pm in a toilet outside the house. She then abandoned the child in a pile of dry leaves near the house.

Reshma, who has tested positive for Covid, was produced in a temporary court in Kollam and remanded. Police are also investigating whether others were involved in the case. The cyber cell will look into the details of Reshma's lover Anandu.

Apparently, no one in Reshma's house was aware of her pregnancy. However, the police are not convinced by this story. The family members were interrogated three times. The DNA test results were obtained on Monday evening. Following this, Reshma and her parents were taken into custody by the Paripally police. She pleaded guilty during interrogation.