Bengali man arrested for cover-up a day after death of three-year-old

Bengali man arrested for cover-up a day after death of three-year-old
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Kochi: A man who is apparently the father of a three-year-old boy, who died at a private hospital in Aluva from the life threatening injuries inflicted by his mother, was arrested on Saturday. Kochi cops have meanwhile contacted their Jharkhand counterparts to find out whether the deceased child's father and mother were indeed his biological parents.

The man who hails from Bengal has been charged for the crimes of 'hiding the offence against the child' and 'destroying evidence'. There is however, not enough evidence to slap a murder charge against him, the Eloor police authorities informed.

Though he was already in custody, his arrest was registered only today.

The 28-year-old mother of the child was arrested with the charge of murder (IPC Section 302) after the death of the toddler. Earlier, she was charged under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act (punishment for cruelty to child).

The arrested couple was brought to the Government Medical College, Ernakulam, for seeing their child for the last time. The funeral will shortly take place at the Palakkamughal Juma Masjid, Kalamassery.

The boy was brought to the hospital by his father on Wednesday, saying that the child had fallen from his mother’s arms. However police investigation revealed that the child had been continuously tortured for a prolonged time. The parents allegedly used a hot metal rod and wooden stick to harm him.The boy's mother had admitted to injuring the toddler to discipline him. 

Though the boy underwent surgery after his admission, he slipped into comatose later. He succumbed to death on Friday.

The toddler and his mother came to Kerala from Jharkhand a week ago. Her live-in partner has been working as a crane operator in a private company for over a year.

The couple lives near Old Anavathil Junction at Eloor, Kochi.

Second incident

This is the second such incident in a month in the state after the brutal assault and murder of a seven-year-old boy by his stepfather in Thodupuzha. The child, who was brutally assaulted by his uncle-cum-stepfather, had died in a hospital at Kolencherry on April 6.

The boy was admitted to the ICU of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College Hospital at Kolenchery in Ernakulam and was on ventilator support after his mother's live-in partner assaulted him on March 28, leaving him in coma.

The boy, a class 2 student at a school at Kumaramangalam near Thodupuzha in Idukki district, had a two-inch crack on his skull and over 20 injury marks on his body when he was brought to the hospital.

His stepfather was arrested and charged with murder later.

Taking note of the rise in incidents of abuse against children, Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja said the government would enact stringent laws to punish those who torture kids. The government is also mulling seizure and sale of property of culprits to deter cruelty against children.

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