Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district say a newborn boy was allegedly buried alive in a dung/manure heap to conceal the pregnancy of an unmarried woman. The incident falls under the Waraseoni police station limits and came to light after villagers reported hearing cries at night and noticed evasive responses from the family. Authorities said a village sarpanch convened a meeting, during which an ASHA worker informed those present that the family’s unmarried daughter had given birth. On reaching the village, police, along with a naib tehsildar and a medical team, exhumed the infant’s body from the heap on Saturday for examination. Officials said the baby was found with cloth tied around the mouth and neck. The infant’s exact cause of death is expected to be determined following a post-mortem. The maternal grandfather, accused in the case, allegedly tried to end his life after the incident by consuming pesticide and is in hospital in a critical condition. Police registered a case of accidental death and plan further legal action based on the post-mortem report and investigation findings.