A deeply disturbing incident has left the Odhav area of Ahmedabad in shock, after a woman named Usha Lodhi was arrested for allegedly strangling her six-year-old daughter, Arushi, following a disagreement over household chores.

Sequence of Events

The incident occurred on Tuesday, 2nd July 2025, at the family’s home in Odhav. Arushi, a Class 1 student, had just returned from school around noon. Her mother, Usha Lodhi, who earns a living by packing plastic spoons at home, asked Arushi to help her with the work. When the child refused, an argument broke out. In a fit of rage, Usha reportedly slapped Arushi several times and then allegedly strangled her to death.

After the incident, Usha called her husband, Amitkumar Lodhi, and told him that Arushi had fallen asleep on the floor and was not waking up. Alarmed, Amitkumar rushed home with a colleague and found Arushi unresponsive. She was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. The family then brought Arushi back home. Meanwhile, a neighbour informed the 108 emergency services, and Arushi was shifted to the Odhav Government Hospital, where she was formally pronounced dead. Her post-mortem was conducted there.

Family Background

The Lodhi family is a blended one. Usha has two children from her previous marriage—Arushi and a 12-year-old son named Ankit. Amitkumar, who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh and works as a fabricator in Ahmedabad, has a daughter named Anu from his first marriage, who also lives with them. Amitkumar married Usha after separating from his first wife, and the family has been living together in Ahmedabad for more than a year and a half.

Police Investigation

The complaint in the case was filed by Amitkumar Lodhi, who provided a detailed statement to the police. According to his account, Usha initially told him that Arushi was just sleeping, but the next morning, she confessed to him that she had strangled Arushi in a heated moment. Amitkumar immediately informed the police and filed a complaint against his wife.

Odhav police have registered a case of murder and voluntarily causing hurt against Usha Lodhi. Inspector P N Zinzuvadiya confirmed that she was arrested on Friday and remains in custody as the investigation continues. The post-mortem report has confirmed that the exact cause of death was strangulation.

The shocking nature of the incident has left residents of Odhav deeply disturbed. The case has sparked widespread concern over issues such as child abuse at home, anger management, and the safety of children. Many in the locality have expressed that such incidents highlight the urgent need for better support systems for families dealing with stress, financial difficulties, or emotional challenges, to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.