Maharashtra Elections Shock: Father kills daughter to contest gram panchayat polls
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Maharashtra Elections Shock: Father kills daughter to contest gram panchayat polls")
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Investigators say the crime was driven by the man’s desire to contest upcoming gram panchayat elections, for which candidates with more than two children are disqualified.
A chilling crime involving a father allegedly killing his own daughter to remain eligible for local body elections has sent shockwaves through Maharashtra, once again throwing the spotlight on the two-child norm linked to gram panchayat polls.
The accused, Pandurang Kondamangale, a resident of Nanded district, was arrested after police found that he had deliberately drowned his six-year-old daughter in a canal in neighbouring Telangana.
Investigators say the crime was driven by the man’s desire to contest upcoming gram panchayat elections, for which candidates with more than two children are disqualified under Maharashtra’s Panchayat Raj rules.
According to police officials, the man has three children — a young son and twin daughters. Fearing that his third child would bar him from entering the electoral race, he allegedly took the girl on his motorcycle to Nizamabad district and pushed her into a canal, making it appear like an accident. The child’s body was later recovered by locals, prompting a cross-border investigation.
What makes the case more disturbing is that the accused reportedly explored other options before committing the crime. Police claim he considered giving up one child for adoption and even tried to manipulate official records to reduce the number of children on paper. When these attempts failed, investigators say he chose violence.
The case took a dramatic turn after Telangana police circulated the child’s photograph internally to establish her identity. This eventually led authorities back to the family in Maharashtra, where questioning revealed inconsistencies in the father’s account. He later confessed during interrogation, police said.
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The incident has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from child rights groups and social activists, who have termed it a horrifying example of how political ambition and fear of disqualification can override basic humanity.
Several activists have also raised concerns about the unintended consequences of the two-child norm, particularly in rural areas where awareness of the law remains limited.
Political reactions have also poured in, with leaders across parties condemning the crime while distancing themselves from any interpretation that the policy promotes coercion or violence. Officials have reiterated that the two-child norm was introduced to encourage population stabilisation, not to punish families or endanger children.
As investigations continue, police are also probing whether others may have influenced or encouraged the accused. The case has reopened a sensitive debate ahead of elections — one that goes beyond legality and into the urgent need for awareness, counselling, and stronger child protection mechanisms.
