THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Accused Harikumar has come up with a strange explanation for the murder of two-year-old Devendu in Balaramapuram. The accused claims that he killed the child by throwing her into a well because he felt an inner calling. The explanation given by the accused to the police is that he killed Devendu when he felt the need to kill. Meanwhile, the accused's frequent changes of statements are causing headaches for the police. "Harikumar is not educated. It has been found that he worked at a temple in Alappuzha for three years. Harikumar was taken to the house where the murder took place and evidence was collected. He is mentally ill and there are contradictions in his statements," say the police.

The child's mother Sreethu and her husband Sreejith were at loggerheads. Police say that Harikumar and his sister Sreethu are mysterious in nature. Even when they lived in adjacent rooms, the two used to chat and video call constantly on WhatsApp. Harikumar had tried to have an illegitimate affair with Sreethu. Information received from the interrogation yesterday is that he killed Devendu because the child would be an obstacle to their intimacy.

Rural SP KS Sudarshan told the media that the investigation so far into the case has revealed that the accused is involved. To understand the details, scientific tests need to be conducted. Harikumar was arrested based on his conviction for the crime. The SP also clarified that the deleted WhatsApp chats will be retrieved. The child's mother Sreethu is also under suspicion. Devendu, the daughter of Sreethu and Sreejith, who lived in a rented house in Kottukalkonam, was killed yesterday. Sreethu's younger brother Harikumar (25) was arrested by the Balaramapuram police.