Two young children who were bedridden and reportedly autistic, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in their house in Andhra Pradesh.
The bodies of Prashanth Reddy (10) and Aditya Reddy (9) of Prahanthinagar were discovered in their house on the outskirts of Macherla town in Guntur district on Saturday morning.
The duo was reportedly autistic since childhood. According to the police, the children had slept in the bedroom along with their grandmother, but were found dead in the morning.
After learning of the incident, police arrived at the spot and sent the bodies to the government hospital mortuary.
Speaking to TNM, Macherla rural Inspector Deepak Kumar said, "They slept in their room like usual but by morning, they were found dead under suspicious circumstances."
Brhamananda Reddy, father of the duo is a local realtor, while their mother Anitha is a homemaker.
Brahmananda Reddy is apparently "mentally ill" and is currently absconding, according to the police.
Deepak Kumar said, "At present, we suspect their father Brahmananda Reddy as per the preliminary probe.”
A case has been registered under IPC Section 174 (suspicious deaths) as per a complaint lodged by the children’s grandmother M Kondavva.
The Inspector added, "As of now, we haven't found any evidence to say that it is a murder, but we can come to a conclusion after getting the post-mortem report, which is awaited."
Media sources suggest that Brahmananda Reddy was seemingly mentally disturbed and worried about his children’s future.
In August 2017 in Kadapa of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh, a mother had killed her five-month-old baby, who was suffering from a congenital ailment.
TNM’s conversations with investigation authorities had revealed that the mother was compelled to kill her own baby due to poverty, along with 'social stigma’.