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Stepfather arrested for brutally assaulting 13-year-old boy in Keralam
Stepfather arrested for brutally assaulting 13-year-old boy in Keralam
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Kollam , A 13-year-old boy was allegedly brutally assaulted by his stepfather in this south Keralam district, prompting the chief minister and the State Child Rights Commission to intervene after a video of the incident surfaced, following which the accused was arrested on Friday.
The assault allegedly took place at Kuriyode in Chadayamangalam on Thursday night.
This came to light after visuals purportedly showing the incident, recorded by the child's mother on her mobile phone, were aired by television channels.
In the visuals, it could be seen that the accused, identified as Rajesh, returned home in an inebriated condition, dragged the boy from his room and brought him to the hall, where he stripped the child and brutally beat him with a stick.
Family sources said the alleged assault stemmed from the accused's dislike towards the boy, who was born out of his mother's first marriage. They also told police that Rajesh had allegedly been physically abusing the child regularly.
Meanwhile, Satheesan spoke to the Kollam Rural Superintendent of Police about the incident and directed him to ensure the immediate arrest of the accused and take stringent legal action, the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.
The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also registered a case on its own based on media reports about the incident.
The Commission said reports indicated that Rajesh had allegedly assaulted the boy under the influence of alcohol.
The panel has sought explanations from the Kollam Rural SP, Chadayamangalam Station House Officer and the District Child Protection Officer, an official statement said.
Later in the day, Chadayamangalam police arrested the accused from his house in the district.
A police officer said the accused was in an inebriated condition even when he was taken into custody.
"The boy's mother is the accused's second wife. The boy is currently at his home with his mother, and the child suffered no major injury," the officer added.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
