Investigators believed the act was driven by the woman's preference for a male child.

According to the police, the woman, who is undergoing treatment for depression, also expressed distress over the child's speech development and language use, stating that the girl spoke only Hindi and not Marathi, reported news agency PTI.

A senior official from Kalamboli police said the woman holds a Bachelor of Science degree and lives with her husband, an IT professional.

On December 23, the woman brought her daughter to a hospital, telling doctors that the child had suddenly become unresponsive due to health issues. The medical staff declared the child dead and subsequently informed the police, the report said.

An accidental death case was initially filed. However, the post-mortem examination revealed that the child had died due to suffocation, prompting the police to register a case of murder.

During interrogation, the woman allegedly admitted that she killed her daughter because she wanted a son and was dissatisfied with the child's speech and language abilities, the official said, as per the report.

The accused has been sent to police custody until December 30 by a local court, while further investigations continue.