Six-year-old Vinod is believed to have been mauled to death after his mum allegedly threw him into crocodile-infested waters after arguing with his dad about his disabilities
A mum allegedly threw her disabled six-year-old son into crocodile-infested waters, where he was mauled to death, after getting into an argument with her husband.
Savitri Kumar and her husband Ravi Kumar have both been arrested in connection with the horrifying incident, which happened in the western Indian state of Karnataka. The young boy, Vinod, was born with a hearing speech impediment which police said his parents regularly had heated arguments over, The Times of India reports.
Ravi allegedly blamed his wife for giving birth to a child with disabilities and suggested several times that she “throw the child away”, according to local police. On Saturday evening after the couple got into another fight about Vinod Savitri allegedly threw him into a waste canal that flows into the Kali River, which is known to be infested with crocodiles.
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The six-year-old was reportedly asleep at the time. Neighbours alerted the police who launched a desperate search for Vinod alongside local volunteers and divers who scoured the dangerous waters in search of the boy. Their rescue attempts were called off due to darkness.
Recalling the horrific scenes, one eyewitness told The New Indian Express: “We could see one of the crocodiles holding the body in its mouth.”
On Sunday morning the search for Vinod resumed and police recovered his body from the river. Police officers believe the six-year-old had been killed in a crocodile attack as his body was covered in bite marks and he was missing a hand, according to News 18.
His body has been sent for a post-mortem to confirm the cause of his death. An investigation is ongoing but both parents, who also share a two-year-old son, have been arrested in what police have described as a “murder” case.
A police officer told the Times of India: “We have registered a case at Dandeli Rural Police station under section 109 (Abetment of any offence, if the act is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested both husband and wife in connection with the incident.”
Savitri reportedly pushed the blame on her husband, telling reporters: “My husband is responsible. He kept saying let [Vinod] die,” according to Outlook India. She added: “If my husband keeps repeating such things, how much torture could my son endure? But he kept repeatedly telling me to let the child die.”
The couple appeared in court and have been remanded in a 14-day judicial custody, Hindustan Times reports. “Further investigation is underway,” a police inspector added.
