A man allegedly murdered his 10-year-old son by repeatedly smashing the boy’s head against the ground and hitting him with a stick near a goddess’s altar at their home in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district.
A man allegedly murdered his 10-year-old son by repeatedly smashing the boy’s head against the ground and hitting him with a stick near a goddess’s altar at their home in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district. The accused allegedly slept beside his son’s bloodied body, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday night in Vinchhiya village of Sanand taluka. The accused, identified as Naresh Patel, works as a farm labourer and was at home with his son, Karan, when the alleged murder took place. His wife, Bhartiben, had left for her parents’ house following a quarrel with him.
According to Bhartiben’s police complaint, Patel allegedly told her that he had sacrificed their only son at the goddess’s altar to ensure that no other family member became a “bhuva” after him. A bhuva is a traditional ritual practitioner believed to act as an intermediary between the local community and deities.
“The man killed his son Karan at a small altar of a goddess in his house and slept next to his body on a cot. The accused is severely mentally disturbed. The boy’s mother had left for her parents’ home following an argument with her husband,” police said.
Bhartiben had left Karan in his father’s care as the child had to attend school. A neighbour called her on Sunday night and informed her about the incident.
She rushed back to the village at around 9.30 pm and found her son lying on a cot, covered in blood, with a visible injury on his forehead. Patel was reportedly sleeping beside the child’s body on the same cot, with bloodstains on his clothes, the FIR stated.
In her complaint, Bhartiben further alleged that her husband told her his father had served as a “bhuva” for the goddess and that he had inherited the role after him. Patel reportedly claimed that he had sacrificed Karan to prevent another member of the family from assuming the role after his death.
Patel reportedly grabbed Karan by his legs and slammed him against the ground two to three times in front of the goddess’s altar before striking his head with a stick.
Police arrested Patel and have launched an investigation into the case.