Thodupuzha: The probe into the murder of a seven-year-old boy who was assaulted by his mother's live-in partner is progressing. Police have gathered evidence against the accused Arun Anand in a case over the sexual abuse of the deceased boy's four-year-old brother.
Arun was interrogated the other day over the abuse and has been already charged under the relevant sections in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Cases have been registered against him for sexual abuse and physical torture.
A stick Arun used to beat the children was recovered from the house. He confessed to frequent physical abuse of the children.
He was taken to the district hospital for medical checkup. He will be sent back to Muttom Jail since interrogative custody ends today.
The police have obtained chief judicial magistrate’s consent to register the mother’s statement confidentially. The Idukki Magistrate will register her statement, for which a date will be decided soon.
The police are seeking legal advice as to charge the woman for negligence or make her a witness in the murder of the elder child.
She was taken to Kolenchery hospital for medical checkup since Arun had been torturing her too. A medical examination revealed marks made by sticks and kicks on her body. Some bruises looked old. She was examined at the Idukki Medical College too. A detailed analysis will be done at Kottayam Medical College Hospital.
Meanwhile, many people, including women and children, gathered around the house in Kumaramangalam here in Kerala's Idukki district where the crime was committed.
The elder child of the family died in a hospital in Kolenchery in Ernakulam district on Saturday, nine days after being on the ventilator after brutal assault by Arun late last month.
The younger child and his mother are under the care of Kudumbasree’s ‘Snehitha’ facility in Idukki.
The High Court has sent notices to state government, DGP, Idukki SP and Women and Child Welfare special secretary over the shocking case. It took up the case suo motu after Justice Devan Ramachandran sent a letter to chief justice citing media reports. It deferred the case for four weeks for the accused’s response.
