An alert physician at a local hospital in Thodupuzha brought to light the case of child beating that shocked Kerala on Friday.
According to the police, the mother of the seven-year-old boy rushed to the local hospital early Thursday stating that her son had injured himself in a fall.
However, the doctor on duty realised that the child had sustained severe brain damage and counted several blunt force injuries on his body. He refused to take the parental account of the child’s injuries at face value.
X-ray interpretation-based medical detective work convinced the doctor that somebody had severely battered the child. He alerted the police.
Murder charge
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thodupuzha, K.P. Jose told The Hindu that he immediately detained the woman’s relative and live-in partner Arun Anand. He said Arun and the mother of the assault victim had returned home at 3 a.m. He said Arun beat the boy severely for wetting the bed. The police have booked him on the charge of murder.
A magistrate will visit the child to record his statement. The police are verifying whether the woman had tried to destroy evidence in the case. They have not yet accused her of complicity in the crime.
The child is battling for life at Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery.
Investigators said Arun, a divorcee, hailed from a well-heeled family in Thiruvananthapuram.
In 2008, the local police had arrested him in connection with the murder of a businessman. However, a court acquitted him of the crime. The police said Arun had a history of violence and substance abuse.
CM calls for report
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought a report on the incident. He said the government would underwrite the child’s medical expenses. The State Human Rights Commission and Kerala State Commission for Child Rights have registered cases on their own in connection with the incident.
According to PTI, the police said besides the victim, a second standard student, his four-year-old brother also sustained injuries all over his body. The police have listed the victim’s four-year-old brother as a witness in the case. The statement of the younger sibling has been recorded and details will be known only after detailed interrogation of the mother and her partner, they said.
“The accused is under our surveillance. His arrest will be recorded soon,” a police officer said.
Various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 303 (attempt to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), and 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and Section 75 of the Juvenlie Justice Act have been slapped on him, the officer added.
‘Cerebral bleeding’
Special Correspondent writes from Kochi: Doctors have performed a brain surgery on the boy, but he continues to be ‘extremely sick’. Bleeding in the brain has not stopped and blood pressure is falling. There is a crack in the skull and the boy has severe injuries in the chest and abdomen too, Subin Geoge, assistant professor, Forensic Medicine, said.
“His life is sustained completely on ventilator support now. The next 48 hours is critical. As per the latest scan report, the blood circulation to the brain seems to have stopped,” a doctor said.
Chances of the child’s survival look rather bleak, said the doctor handling medico-legal issues, according to hospital sources.