Kothamangalam: A six-year-old girl was strangled to death by her stepmother at Nellikuzhi in Kothamangalam on Thursday. The deceased, Muskan, was the daughter of Ajaz Khan, a native of Uttar Pradesh. Police arrested the girl's stepmother, Aneesha, after she confessed to the crime during an interrogation.

Meanwhile, police suspect that the girl was murdered in connection with any black magic ritual. They have taken Noushad, a black magic practitioner and a native of Kothamangalam, into custody. According to Manorama News, the investigation team is questioning Noushad to uncover the mystery behind the child’s death. Though police have already recorded the stepmother’s arrest, they are investigating whether Noushad influenced her to commit the crime.

Muskan was found dead at her rented home in Nellikuzhi on Thursday morning. Initially, her father claimed she was lying motionless on the bed. However, police launched an investigation into the unnatural death after the post-mortem report confirmed that the child died of asphyxiation.

Later, police took Ajaz Khan and Aneesha into custody. During interrogation, Aneesha confessed that she strangled the child to death while her husband was away on Wednesday night. According to her statement, Muskan went to bed around 8 pm after dinner. Ajaz Khan who left the house around 8:30 pm returned only at midnight. During this time, Aneesha executed her plan.

Police revealed that Aneesha placed her own child beside Muskan's body to avoid suspicion. However, investigators suspect Ajaz Khan may also be involved in the crime. The probe team also noted discrepancies in Aneesha's statements, raising further doubts about the case.