Vasai child assault: ‘Only a monster can do this,’ says father

The child, Vignesh, was yanked out of a parked autorickshaw by its driver, swung in the air, and his head smashed on the ground before he was dragged up a flight of stairs

MUMBAI: “Only a monster can do such a thing to a child, to take revenge on me. He should be hanged,” says 32-year-old Atul Kondhare, of the brutal assault on his four-year-old son in a Vasai housing society on Monday evening.

Vasai child assault: ‘Only a monster can do this,’ says father

The child, Vignesh, was yanked out of a parked autorickshaw by its driver, swung in the air, and his head smashed on the ground before he was dragged up a flight of stairs. The driver, Sandeep Pawar, 57, has told the police he assaulted the child to take revenge on his father due to an unresolved financial dispute two years ago.

Vignesh has been admitted to the intensive care unit at Wockhardt Hospital in Mira Road. All Kondhare wants for now is for the child to regain consciousness. On Wednesday, Kondhare said an MRI scan of Vignesh’s brain was performed to assess the extent of his injuries. “I am waiting for the reports, which will be ready on Friday,” says Kondhare, clearly in shock.

Pawar, who was arrested and booked for attempt to murder and violently causing harm under the BNS and sections of the Juvenile Justice Act, is in police custody.

The Kondhares are unable to process the tragic turn of events. One moment, Vignesh was happily playing with the other children in Anupam Ghar Sankul building, and the next, his head was being slammed onto the concrete by an enraged resident of the housing complex.

Balkrishna Ghadigaonkar, senior police inspector, Vasai police station, said Kondhare, who was in the construction business, had worked on Pawar’s kitchen two years ago, and the two had argued over financials. Pawar had nursed a grudge against Kondhare since then.

Vignesh’s grandfather, Arun Kodhare, said, “The accused was at home when he saw my grandson playing. He rushed down and went straight up to him as if he was waiting for this moment. Two years ago, he had accused my son of overcharging him for the interior decoration work,” said Arun Kondhare.

“We are in shock, my son has not able to come to terms with what happened. We haven’t eaten or slept since yesterday and are just waiting for Vignesh to open his eyes,” he added.

Police said they cannot rely on Pawar’s statement alone. “Atul Kondhare’s statement is yet to be recorded to verify the motive of the assault,” said Ghadigaonkar.

Pawar’s medical tests have suggested he was not under the influence of alcohol or a narcotic substance when he assaulted the child. “We will get his mental condition assessed as well,” said the officer.

According to Dr Milan Balakrishnan, professor and head, department of psychiatry and psychology at Masina Hospital, and a consultant psychiatrist at Breach Candy and Bombay Hospital, said, “Behaviour like this is impulse-driven, where a person has a spontaneous outburst. However, in this case, it may be a serious personality disorder or even a narcissist personality disorder as he was carrying a grudge for a long time.”

Pawar and the Kondhares live in the same building. Pawar lives alone as his estranged wife and daughter live in their native village and are not in touch with him.

The assault took place when Vignesh was playing with other children within the housing society’s premises at 8 pm on Monday. Vignesh wandered into the parked rickshaw and sat inside it. Upon noticing this, Pawar grabbed the boy and proceeded to assault him. The incident has been captured on the housing society’s CCTV.

Neighbours who witnessed the incident phoned Kondhare, who was turned away by four hospitals as they were not equipped to treat Vignesh’s condition. It was around 11pm when the child was admitted to Wockhardt Hospital in Mira Road.

A hushed silence has descended on Anupam Ghar Sankul building. “Since the incident, everyone here is stunned. My grandson was playing with Vignesh and witnessed the incident. He is very shaken,” said a resident, Suvarna Kuratgaon.