A case that initially appeared to be a tragic accident has taken a horrifying turn in Kerala, where the death of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy has now been confirmed as a homicide, exposing signs of prolonged and brutal abuse that have shocked the state.
Police in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district have taken the child’s stepfather into custody after a postmortem examination revealed that toddler Arshid did not die after food became lodged in his throat, as was initially claimed, but from injuries caused by physical assault.
The findings have triggered outrage among locals and raised troubling questions about whether warning signs of abuse were overlooked in the weeks leading up to the child’s death.
HORRIFYING POSTMORTEM FINDINGS
According to the postmortem report, Arshid’s body bore evidence of repeated violence.
Investigators found as many as 51 injuries on the toddler’s body. The report also revealed cigarette and lighter burn marks, suggesting that the child may have endured sustained abuse before his death.
Doctors concluded that internal bleeding in vital organs was caused by injuries suffered during earlier assaults. Multiple injury marks were found across the child’s body, strengthening suspicions that the violence was not an isolated incident.
The findings overturned the initial version of events presented by the child’s stepfather, Ashkar.
CLAIM OF CHOKING COLLAPSES
The incident came to light after Ashkar reportedly took the child to hospital, claiming the boy had vomited while being fed and that food had become stuck in his throat.
The toddler was later shifted to SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where he died.
Based on the information available at the time, Nedumangad Police had initially registered a case of unnatural death.
However, the postmortem findings transformed the investigation, leading police to treat the death as a murder case.
MOTHER TO BE QUESTIONED
Police are also expected to question the child’s mother, Akhila.
According to investigators, she was reportedly in Tamil Nadu for a dance programme when the incident occurred.
Relatives have alleged that Ashkar regularly assaulted the child and have accused Akhila of failing to provide proper care and protection.
Authorities are now examining the family’s circumstances and whether previous incidents of abuse had gone unreported.
PUBLIC ANGER ERUPTS
The revelations sparked strong reactions in the locality.
When Ashkar was brought to his residence by investigators for evidence collection, angry residents gathered at the spot. Visuals from the area showed emotional scenes as some locals attempted to attack him, forcing police to intervene.
The incident has generated widespread anger on social media as details from the postmortem became public.
SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO UNDER SCRUTINY
The case has also drawn attention because of a social media video recorded weeks before the child’s death.
A challenge video made by an influencer showed the little boy with both hands in plaster casts while standing alongside his mother.
When asked about the injuries, Akhila reportedly said the child had fallen from a bicycle.
Following the murder revelations, social media users have begun questioning that explanation, with many wondering whether the injuries were actually linked to earlier episodes of abuse.
Investigators are expected to examine whether previous injuries suffered by the child could help establish a pattern of violence before his death.
As the probe gathers pace, the focus is now on uncovering what happened behind closed doors and whether opportunities to save the toddler were missed before the abuse turned fatal.
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