Sameera Navas, who was on remand for strangling her five-year-old daughter, will be released from police custody Thursday to gather further evidence on the case. The woman’s alleged involvement in witchcraft, which allegedly led to the killing of the child, is being investigated in depth while she is in detention. Ayesha, Sameera’s daughter, was found dead in her home on the evening of July 7th.

Sameera, who was arrested for strangling the child, was hospitalized after showing symptoms of mental illness. However, a board of doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode ruled out a mental illness.

The case would be investigated further under the direction of Panniyankara County Inspector Rajeena K. Joseph. The suspect would be brought to her home for the first time to gather evidence. The statements of her family members, including the older child, would be recorded.

According to police reports, the woman had contact with a black magician practitioner near Kohinoor in Malappuram. A few days before the murder, she is said to have visited him because of some petitions related to witchcraft that she allegedly practiced on the child. Her family is said not to have known about the matter.

The testimony of some locals that she and the child had previously attempted suicide would be cross-checked. Her family told the police that she had no previous history of mental illness or suicidal tendencies.

No other family members were home at the time of Ayesha’s death. Although some locals took the child to a private hospital, the child was pronounced dead.