Even as the Chaubeypur police claimed illness to be the cause of the infant’s death, family members lodged a murder case against one Thakur Mangal Singh. Singh is absconding.

Aarti lived in the village with her daughter, while her husband, Sarvesh, worked as a plumber in New Delhi.

Aarti said Singh, her neighbour, often harassed her and passed foul remarks. Singh also wanted to grab her house, Arti alleged.

On Thursday night Singh had gone to Aarti’s house in an inebriated condition and “used derogatory words for me and my family,” Aarti said. When she objected, Singh slapped her.

“Then he snatched my daughter, hurled her on the ground and ran away,” Aarti said.

Station Officer of Chaubeypur Mukesh Kumar said that illness might be the reason behind the child’s death. “The child was extremely weak,” he added.