Wayanad: A four-year old boy was hacked to death on Friday by his father's business partner at Meppadi here.
45-year-old Jithesh, the accused, brutally attacked the boy Adi Dev in broad daylight while his mother was taking him to the nearby anganwadi.
He attacked the mother Anila and the child and critically injured them with a sharp weapon, police said.
Both were rushed to a nearby hospital initially and the boy, who had sustained injuries near his left ear and head, was later shifted to the government medical college in Kozhikode.
The child succumbed to his injuries this morning but the condition of the woman is stable as of now, a police officer said.
"We suspect that there were some business related disputes between the child's father Jayaprakash and the accused Jithesh. It might have led to the cruel act.
It can be confirmed only after detailed interrogation," he said.
The accused was arrested soon after the crime and has been remanded, the officer added.
(With inputs from PTI)