Amid marital dispute, woman in Hyderabad’s Meerpet poisons infant son before dying by suicide

Hyderabad: A 27-year-old woman allegedly poisoned her 11-month-old son before dying by suicide at her residence near Meerpet, police said on Friday.

The woman, identified as Sushmitha, was reportedly facing prolonged marital disputes with her husband, Yashwanth Reddy. Police officials said that preliminary investigations suggest that she poisoned her infant son, Ashwanth Nandan Reddy, before taking her own life inside the house.

The incident came to light when Sushmitha’s mother, Lalitha, discovered the two unresponsive in the house. Shocked by the scene, Lalitha allegedly attempted suicide and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. Doctors said she is currently undergoing treatment and is said to be in stable condition.

Following the discovery, Sushmitha’s uncle, Bitha Sanjeeva Reddy, lodged a formal complaint with the police. Based on the complaint, a case has been registered, and investigators have begun examining all possible angles, including family disputes, mental health concerns, and domestic circumstances that may have led to the tragedy.

Police officials stated that forensic teams have collected samples from the scene, and post-mortem examinations will be conducted to confirm the exact cause of death. Statements from family members and neighbours are also being recorded as part of the investigation.

Authorities said no suicide note has been recovered so far. “We are probing the matter thoroughly to understand the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to this extreme step,” a senior police official said.

The incident has once again highlighted the devastating impact of unresolved domestic conflicts and mental distress within households.

(Suicide Is Not A Solution: If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you are worried about a friend, or you need emotional support, then there is someone who is always there to listen to you. Call the Sneha Foundation – 04424640050 (available 24x7) – or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences helpline, at 9152987821 (available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm).