Police Detain Mousami Khatun Over Murder of 4‑Year‑Old Farzana

Law enforcement in Murshidabad, West Bengal, arrested Mousami Khatun after she was linked to the murder of her four‑year‑old step‑daughter, Farzana Khatun. The tragic event unfolded in the Katabari Sarkarpara area of the Sagarpara police jurisdiction.

Sources disclosed that Farzana's father, who lives in Kerala for work, married Mousami following the disappearance of Farzana's biological mother three years ago. Community members allege that Mousami subjected the child to chronic abuse, depriving her of adequate meals, education, and emotional care.

According to statements collected by investigators, the stepmother was known to beat Farzana regularly, often restraining her mouth to stop her from crying, and locking her inside the home. The latest alleged beating took place on a Saturday night, after which Farzana's condition worsened dramatically.

She was taken to the Sagarpara Primary Health Centre where doctors declared her dead. Police were notified immediately, and the body was forwarded to the Murshidabad Medical College for a mandatory post‑mortem. The victim's relatives and neighbors have voiced a strong demand for a death sentence, citing the prolonged and brutal mistreatment that led to the child's fatal outcome.