Nine-year-old Noufal was found in his home in Adimali in Idukki district on Tuesday, crouching in fear, with injuries all over his body.
The fourth standard student was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in the Kalamassery Medical College on Tuesday. Though the boy and his brother first claimed that a monkey had attacked Noufal, it slowly unravelled that Noufal had been subjected to severe physical torture by his own mother. He was brought to the hospital in a partially conscious state, his hand fractured, contusions on his legs and part of his face scalded.
Noufal’s mother, Saleena, has been detained by the police at a state women's home, but not formally arrested as she has a three-month-old infant to take care of.
The police say that it was by chance that Noufal was found in such a situation.
“Noufal’s father Naseer was recently arrested by excise officials for keeping ganja with him. Naseer’s sister who stays in Ernakulam was contacted by officials to get him some clothes from home. She informed another sister of Naseer who stays in Adimali. When she went to their house to collect the clothes, she found Noufal crying inside the room, and the room had urine and excreta in it,” Adimali Sub Inspector Lal C Baby told The News Minute.
Naseer’s sister and an auto driver who had taken her to the house then informed childline and police. While the boy was being taken to hospital by an ambulance, Saleena tried to escape but relatives forcibly handed her over to the police.
“The boy was starving and doctors said he had been undergoing severe physical torture for several weeks or even months,” Baby said.
Police were shocked to listen to Noufal when they recorded his statements on Tuesday evening. According to the police, Noufal initially blamed a monkey as his mother had promised to get him a biriyani if he lied.
“He was not able to speak properly. He said he was beaten with an iron rod and coconuts. He has burn marks in his face and deep injuries in legs and hands. While he was speaking suddenly he lost conscious. It was painful to look at him,” the police officer said.
The police are investigating if the father too brutalised the child.
The case is similar to that of Shafeeq, a five-year-old who suffered physical torture at the hands of his parents 3 years ago.