A four-year-old boy has died after his father allegedly “smashed his head against a pillar” in an attack in Hyderabad, India. The child, identified as Armaan, was rushed to hospital on August 5 and died four days later on August 9, according to police. Doctors told officers that the boy's skull had been shattered.
Arrest and Allegations
Police have arrested the child's 25-year-old father, Salman, in connection with the case. Investigators said the alleged attack happened near a pillar beneath an Expressway in Hyderabad. Police said Salman and his wife, Rukhsana Begum, had argued the night before. He is also accused of assaulting his wife and mother while drunk.
Rukhsana then went to her parents' home with the couple's two daughters, while Armaan remained with his father. The following morning, Salman allegedly told his son that he was taking him to his brother's house. However, police allege he instead took the four-year-old to the area beneath the expressway, where he attacked him.
Witnesses and Previous Complaints
Witnesses also alleged that Salman had earlier tried to push the child in front of a moving vehicle. People nearby intervened during the incident before Salman fled the scene, according to the report. He was later traced and taken into custody, while locals rushed the unconscious boy to hospital.
Police said Salman had previously been linked to several theft cases and that members of his family had made complaints about his alleged violent behaviour in the past. An investigating officer said: "He suspected his wife of infidelity and believed that the boy was not his biological son. His wife and mother had filed several complaints with Golconda police over his violent behaviour in the past, and the family was counselled and sent back home."
Family Calls for Justice
Salman's mother, Israth Begum, has called for justice following her grandson's death. She said: "He would hit us everyday and was addicted to alcohol. He was very suspicious of all of us and often tortured us. I had tried stopping him when he was taking my grandson out but he did not listen. The assault was gruesome. Nothing was left of my grandson. We want justice."
Police initially registered the case as attempted murder. Following Armaan's death, it was changed to a murder case under Section 103 of India's Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Salman has since appeared in court and was remanded in judicial custody.
