TAMIL NADU: An alcoholic father beat to death his seven-year-old daughter when the latter intervened in a tussle between her parents while trying to stop him from thrashing the mother in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Indian media reports have said.

Police arrested S Kailash, 37, of Tirunelveli of Tamil Nadu, and his wife Neelavathi, 32, who tried to cover up the murder.

The incident occurred on Monday night but it was only after neighbors’ suspicion that the issue was brought to light. According to the neighbors, victim Sugirtha, a second-grade student was playing outside when her father called her inside.

She had on Monday ignored her father’s call and continued to play.

Later, on the same night, Kailash came back home in an inebriated condition and started to quarrel with his wife over Sugirtha’s behavior and started beating his wife. Sugirtha had then tried to stop him from thrashing her mother. This furiated Kailash and started beating up his daughter and tossed her to the ground.

The girl, who lost consciousness was rushed to a hospital where she declared dead. The parents then took their daughter’s body home and tried to cover up the case. They claimed that their daughter died of injuries by falling from the rooftop.

They then were preparing for their daughter’s burial when the death under suspicious circumstances reached the police. The police then started investigation and approached the family members as well as the neighbors. The neighbors then informed the police about the tussle between the couple. The couple then admitted to the murder. (Agencies)