Stepfather Beats 15-Year-Old To Death For Talking On Phone, Attempts Suicide

A man in India allegedly beat his 15-year-old stepdaughter to death for talking on the phone at night, the police said.

The incident took place Tuesday in the eastern state of Odisha. Authorities said the man tried to commit suicide after killing the teenager. He was later admitted to a local hospital in critical condition after he was rescued by his second wife, Ommcom News reported Wednesday.

The accused has been identified by his first name, Kailash. Local media reported Kailash married Santilata, who had a son and a daughter, after her husband died.

On Tuesday night, Santilata’s daughter was speaking to someone over a mobile phone, which enraged Kailash, who, in a fit of rage, mercilessly beat the girl with a wooden plank. The girl died on the spot. After he realized the teenager was dead, he rushed inside the house and tried to hang himself.

However, Satilata rescued him by snapping the rope with a scythe. It remains unclear where the victim's brother was at the time of the incident.

The police were informed about the crime, and an investigation has been launched into the incident, KalingaTV reported.

In June, a 9-year-old girl was strangled to death by her mother and her stepfather. The couple was later arrested on murder charges. The incident took place in Ludhiana, a city in the northern state of Punjab. The police said they initially tried to cover up the murder, and brought the deceased child to a hospital. The mother and her stepdad claimed the child did not wake up from her sleep. They added they found her "unconscious" when they woke up. The hospital declared the child brought dead. An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was strangulation. The hospital authorities informed the police, who then started an investigation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the girl's stepdad, who reportedly disliked the child, used to beat her up often. The police said the couple wanted to get rid of the child somehow, and plotted to kill her. During questioning, the couple admitted to killing the child.