A man was taken into custody by the Kerala police on Saturday after disturbing visuals of him "brutally assaulting" his eight-year-old daughter went viral on social media recently.
In the footage, the man could be seen beating the child and trying to slam her head against the wall as she cries in fear.
Following circulation of the video, the police launched a probe and identified the man as Jose, alias Mamachan, who has been living in a rented house in Cherupuzha in this district.
A senior police official said he was summoned to the local station in the morning. His estranged wife and two children were also called to the station to record their statements, K Vinod Kumar, Deputy SP, Payyannur said.
"As soon as the video came to our notice yesterday, we contacted the man and the children. But, they claimed that it was a prank video," he told a TV channel.
They claimed that it was picturised to bring back their mother who was staying separated from them. "But, primary facia, we don't think it is a prank video. Even if it is a prank video as claimed by them, a video of showing brutality to children cannot be taken like this," he said.
{{/usCountry}}They claimed that it was picturised to bring back their mother who was staying separated from them. "But, primary facia, we don't think it is a prank video. Even if it is a prank video as claimed by them, a video of showing brutality to children cannot be taken like this," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Responding to the criticism about police inaction, Kumar said the children were shifted to their paternal aunt's house with their consent on Friday itself.
The officer further said legal action would be taken in connection with the incident and a case would be registered after recording the statements of the man, his wife and the children.
Quoting locals, a panchayat official told the media that the family came to Cherupuzha for staying for two and half months ago and the man used to beat his children.