Idukki: The case of the newborn's body found at the Aramanappara Estate in Rajakkad has taken a shocking turn, with the police confirming that the infant was murdered by its mother. The accused, 21-year-old Poonam Soren, a native of Jharkhand, has been arrested.

Following an investigation, the police identified the mother and took her into custody. During questioning, she confessed to killing the child and burying the body.

After the death of her first husband in December, Poonam moved in with another man, Motilal Murmu. However, she kept her pregnancy hidden from him.  According to police, she had been skipping work for the past few days, citing ill health. Police suspect that Poonam suffocated the baby girl after birth and then buried her.

Initially, she claimed that the child had died prematurely. However, a medical examination confirmed that the baby had completed nine months in the womb. Following this, the police conducted a detailed interrogation, leading to her confession.

The body of the infant, with only the upper torso remaining, was found around 11.30 am on Thursday by workers who had come for plumbing work at a cardamom plantation near the line houses of migrant workers. By the time they found it, dogs had already partially devoured the remains. The workers immediately alerted the Rajakkad police.