Kerala toddler death: 51 injuries, burn marks found; mother, live-in partner arrested – Kerala News

More than 51 injuries, cigarette and lighter burn marks, and a deep genital wound were found on the body of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy in Kerala, with investigators alleging that the child was subjected to prolonged abuse by his mother’s live-in partner before his death.

The findings have led to the arrest of the child’s mother, Akhila, and her live-in partner, Ashkar, turning what initially appeared to be an accidental death into a murder investigation that has shocked the state.

CHILLING POSTMORTEM FINDINGS

The case centres on Arshid, a toddler whose death was initially believed to be the result of food becoming lodged in his throat while he was being fed.

That version collapsed after the postmortem examination.

According to investigators, doctors found more than 51 injuries on the child’s body. The report also documented cigarette and lighter burn marks, along with a deep injury to the genitals.

The postmortem further found internal bleeding in vital organs caused by injuries sustained during earlier assaults. Multiple wounds in different stages of healing have strengthened suspicions that the violence was not an isolated incident but part of a sustained pattern of abuse.

The findings prompted police to convert the case into a murder investigation.

LIVE-IN PARTNER UNDER SCANNER

Investigators say Akhila and Ashkar were living together at the time of the incident.

Police sources said Ashkar has not confessed to planning the child’s murder in advance. However, investigators believe he viewed the toddler as an obstacle in his relationship with Akhila.

According to information gathered during the probe, Akhila frequently travelled for dance programmes, while Ashkar was often responsible for caring for the child. Investigators suspect the toddler was repeatedly assaulted whenever he cried.

Ashkar remains legally married to his first wife, Amina. Police sources said Amina is a survivor of domestic violence and continues to undergo treatment.

HOW THE CASE UNFOLDED

The incident came to light after Ashkar took the toddler to hospital, claiming the child had vomited while being fed and that food had become stuck in his throat.

Arshid was later shifted to SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, where he died.

Based on the initial account, Nedumangad Police registered a case of unnatural death.

The postmortem findings, however, dramatically altered the direction of the investigation, leading to the arrest of both Ashkar and Akhila. The mother has since been remanded to judicial custody.

VIDEO OF TODDLER WITH PLASTERED ARMS RESURFACES

The case has also attracted widespread attention because of a social media video recorded weeks before the child’s death.

The video showed Arshid standing beside his mother with both arms in plaster casts.

When asked about the injuries, Akhila reportedly said the child had fallen from a bicycle.

Since details of the murder investigation emerged, that explanation has come under renewed scrutiny. Investigators are expected to examine whether the fractures and other earlier injuries suffered by the toddler were linked to the abuse now being probed by police.

The resurfaced footage has triggered outrage online, with many questioning whether warning signs were missed before the child’s death.

PUBLIC ANGER SPILLS ONTO STREETS

The revelations sparked strong reactions in the locality.

When Ashkar was brought to his residence for evidence collection, angry residents gathered outside and attempted to confront him. Police personnel intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.

The case has since become one of the most discussed crime investigations in Kerala, with disturbing details from the postmortem continuing to emerge.

PROBE WIDENS BEYOND TODDLER’S DEATH

The investigation is now expanding beyond the immediate circumstances surrounding Arshid’s death.

Police are expected to examine the suicide of Akhila’s husband, Akhil, who died a few months after their marriage. Family members had earlier raised allegations against Akhila, and investigators are expected to review those claims as part of the broader probe.

As investigators reconstruct the events leading to the toddler’s death, the focus remains on determining how long the alleged abuse continued, whether previous warning signs were ignored and whether more people could face action as the investigation progresses.

– Ends