Kolkata, Aug 26 : A man was arrested on Tuesday on charges of murdering his newborn girl in Siliguri in West Bengal's Darjeeling district.

The accused was identified as Rahul Mahato (23), a driver by profession.

A resident of Prakash Nagar in ward number 43 of Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Mahato has been accused of murdering his three-and-a-half-month-old baby girl.

Deputy Commissioner of Police of Siliguri Police Commissionerate, Rakesh Singh said, "One person has been arrested in connection with the incident. The body of the newborn has been sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for autopsy. The cause of death will be known once the autopsy report comes. An investigation has been started into the matter."

According to the police, Priyanka Mahato, a resident of Bihar, got married to Rahul Mahato two years ago.

During the preliminary probe, it was found that Priyanka allegedly faced torture several times by her in-laws over money.

She was subjected to more mental and physical abuse since she gave birth to a baby girl three and a half months ago.

The mother of the deceased child told media persons, "Since I gave birth to a baby girl, there has been a constant fight with my in-laws. They wouldn't even touch the newborn. They even threatened to harm her. Last night, she was playing until she went to bed. They strangled her to death in the early hours of the morning while she was sleeping. In the morning, the girl was taken to the Siliguri District Hospital. The doctors declared her dead."

Following a complaint from the mother, the police arrested the father in the morning.

The accused, however, denied the allegations. "I didn't commit murder. I was sleeping. When I woke up, I saw that the child wasn't moving. The autopsy report will make everything clear," said the father.

/IANS