<b> Father a Policeman, killed his own child injecting poison.

Our Colombo Correspondent

A policeman killed his one and a half year old son by injecting poison to avoid paying maintenance for him, the police alleged.

Police Constable Ponnuthurai Rameswaran of Puthunagar in Batticiloa district, was remanded by the Batticoloa Magistrate till July 26, for the alleged murder of his one and a half year old son.

Police told the Magistrate that, Rameswaran was living with a garment factory employee - young woman and when the child was born, he had then deserted her.

Eatlier, Pushpalaxumi, the mother of the child, filed action for maintenance in the Family court and the hearing was due on last Wednesday. But, the child died suddenly on Tuesday night, complaining of stomach pain.

Post mortem examination revealed that, the child was injected in the stomach with poison. Police arrested the father, who was absconding, on suspicion of the murder of the child.