Dharmapuri: A woman and her paramour were arrested in Dharmapuri on Saturday, for torturing her three-year-old daughter by burning her with cigarettes.Dharmapuri Town Police have identified the arrested as Ezhilarasi, 23, and her paramour Ayyappan, 28, both from near Palacode.The cruelty came to light after the child was admitted to the Dharmapuri Government Medical College and Hospital at midnight on February 11, with serious health issues. Hospital staff who noticed that the child had been abused, reported it to the town police. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the woman, Ezhilarasi had married Sivashankar, of Salai Vinayagar Kovil Street in Dharmapuri, four years ago, and had a daughter. She later got into an extra marital affair with Ayyappan. A few months ago, she separated from her husband and began living with her paramour, and her child. “Ayyappan felt the child was a hindrance to their relationship, and asked Ezhilarasi to send the child to her father. When she refused, he became enraged and tortured the child by burning her entire body with cigarettes,” a police officer said. He added that the abuse happened with the knowledge of Ezhilarasi. The two have been remanded in custody at the Dharmapuri prison. The child continues to remain under intensive care.
