Bhawanipatna, Aug. 25 -- In a spine-chilling incident, a woman allegedly strangulated her three-year-old stepdaughter to death at Lakhapadar village under Narla police limits in Kalahandi district last evening.

The deceased has been identified as Nandini Shah. Reportedly, her father Jugeswar had married one Asha Sahu after death of his first wife.

Sources said Nandini returned to the house last evening after playing outside. After sometime, Asha strangulated the kid to death, though the reason behind the murder is yet to be ascertained. When Nandini's father Jugeswar reached the house late in the night, Asha told him that Nandini is sleeping. When he tried to wake her up, he found her dead with blood in her mouth.

Later, Nandini's mate...