Mysuru: In a shocking incident, parents of a newborn child smothered the baby and dumped it at a farm as the child was born out of a wedlock. The couple, hailing from Hediyala Village in Nanjangud, has been arrested now.

According to the Police and Hediyala villagers, 30-year-old Basavaraju, a resident of Gowdarahundi in Nanjangud Taluk and 22-year-old Mangalagowri were in an illicit relationship since one-and-a-half years.

Mangalagowri gave birth to a female child on Monday (May 8). As it was an illicit relationship, the couple decided to get rid of the child fearing social stigma.

The couple then took the child to a farm at Hediyala and smothered it with a cloth. After killing the child, the couple dumped the body nearby and returned to their respective houses. The child’s body was spotted by some passers-by yesterday and the Police were alerted.

Based on the villagers’ statements that Mangalagowri was pregnant and had delivered a baby, Nanjangud Circle Inspector Shivamurthy arrested her and Basavaraju who confessed to the crime. Hullahalli Police have registered a case. The child’s body was brought to MMC&RI for post-mortem.