Thodupuzha: A shocking tale of cruelty to two children has been reported from Thodupuzha in Kerala's Idukki district. A seven-year-old boy, who was alleged swung by his leg and smashed on the ground by his mother’s partner, is battling for life following an emergency surgery. The boy who also received a blow to the head with a stick is now at a private hospital in Kolenchery after sustaining serious head injury, including a cracked skull.
The boy's younger brother, who is just 4 years, lost a tooth in the attack by the youth at their home at Kumaramangalam near Thodupuzha. He is admitted to a private hospital in Thodupuzha. He has bruises on his leg.
Surgery was required for the older boy since there was internal bleeding in the head. The boy’s condition is serious, hospital authorities said. He has cuts and bruises on face and body.
The government has decided to take custody of the two children and pay for all the medical expenses, said Health and Social Welfare Minister K K Shailaja.
Assailant held
The assailant, who is a Thiruvananthapuram native, is in police custody. He is being interrogated and a case will be registered as requested by Idukki District Child Welfare Committee, said DySP K P Jose.
The matter came to light as Child Helpline authorities in Ernakulam and Idukki received message on the attack on Thursday morning. A doctor had informed the Helpline after he found cuts and bruises on the boy’s body.
A team from Idukki wing of the Helpline reached the house with police and gathered information from the younger child.
The younger boy gave a statement to the child welfare committee saying the man hit his brother with a stick and smacked him on the head. The man then grabbed the legs and smashed him on the floor. It was he who wiped the blood off his brother’s head after the attack, Child Welfare Committee Chairman Dr Joseph Augustine and committee members were told.
The committee took the younger child to a relative’s house to ensure his safety.
Monstrous attack
The elder child was admitted to a Thodupuzha hospital early Thursday. The mother and her friend said the boy had fallen down. He was transferred to Kolenchery after considering the seriousness of the injuries.
The accounts of the woman and the man at Thodupuzha hospital had certain discrepancies. The youth also objected to accompany the mother in the ambulance to Kolenchery hospital. These raised suspicion.
Illicit affair likely
The youth started living with the family after the kids’ father passed away a year ago. It is unknown if he and the mother are legally married, said the police.
They had rented the house in Kumaramangalam, near Thodupuzha, claiming to be a couple.
The assailant uses a walking stick after sustaining injuries on his leg earlier.
The woman could not be questioned.