FIR against 10-year-old after Mumbai toddler pushed off 6th floor
What's the story
A murder case has been registered against a 10-year-old girl in the death of an 18-month-old toddler, who was allegedly pushed to her death down the stairwell from the sixth floor of a Goregaon building, TOI reported. The complaint was lodged by the toddler's mother at the Dindoshi police station. The incident occurred on October 14 when the toddler was playing with a cat outside the sixth-floor residence.
Evidence uncovered
Mother alleges neighbor called her daughter before pushing her
When she went missing, her 12-year-old brother looked for her and spotted someone lying in the basement with clothes that matched his sister's and alerted their mother.
She was rushed to a hospital, where she was declared dead.
The toddler's mother said the security railing on their floor was too high for her daughter to have fallen accidentally.
She alleged CCTV footage showed the 10-year-old neighbor had called her daughter and then threw her down the stairwell near the lift.
Mother's claim
'It appears she understood the gravity of her actions'
"It appears she understood the gravity of her actions," she said in her statement to police.
"The footage captures the toddler falling from the sixth floor. Moments later, the minor girl who allegedly threw the child is seen running away from the spot and subsequently riding a bicycle in the passage on the same floor," a police officer was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Legal proceedings
10-year-old was sent for counseling
The Dindoshi Police initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and detained the minor girl.
She was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) which ordered her to undergo counseling. She was released into her parents' care.
The 10-year-old and her family had moved into the housing society only two weeks before this tragic incident.
The family has since reportedly left the housing society and is now staying with relatives.
Expert opinion
Legal provisions regarding minors
According to legal provisions, children under seven are completely exempt from criminal prosecution. Those aged between seven and 12 can be exempted if the court finds they didn't understand their actions' consequences.
According to NDTV, Sources said the 10-year-old girl was suffering from mental health issues.
But the toddler's family has demanded strict action, accusing the girl's family of turning off CCTV cameras in an attempt to hide the incident.