PUNE: A two-year-old boy was hospitalized with
burn injuries inflicted on him with cigarettes on Tuesday night while he was playing near his house at Patil Estate slums, off Pune-Mumbai old highway.
The boy had gone to play outside when the incident occurred. On returning home, he became unconscious and was admitted to the Sassoon General Hospital.
The Khadki police have registered a case following a complaint lodged by the child’s mother on Tuesday night. Police said the boy was out of the danger and recuperating at the hospital.
According to the Khadki police, the boy’s mother and father are labourers and stay in a small hutment at Patil Estate in Shivajinagar. Why and who inflicted the burn injuries on the child is not known. The police said the child’s parents did not have any personal vengeance with the neighbours.
The boy’s mother started working in the kitchen after returning from work on Tuesday night, while his father was busy in some work. The boy left home at 9.45pm and was with the other kids staying in the alley.
He went towards Buddha Vihar at the end of the alley. The police suspect that the suspects grabbed him near poorly illuminated Buddha Vihar and inflicted the burn injuries on his palms and thighs. The police said the burn injuries were either of some of cigarette butts or some metal objects.
After returning home, he vomited and became unconscious. Police suspect that the unidentified person(s) offered him something to eat, because of which he vomited and became unconscious.
The police have launched a hunt for the suspects.
Representative image