CWC orders brother of Kerala boy, who died after attack by mom’s partner, to be produced

The Idukki District Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has directed the paternal grandparents of the boy who died after being brutally attacked by his mother’s partner in Kerala, to produce the boy’s 4-year-old sibling before them on May 31. 

The incident took place on March 28 morning when the accused, Arun Anand (36), partner of the mother, had brutally assaulted the seven-year-old boy. The boy who was in a serious condition, was admitted to Chazikatt hospital at Thodupuzha. The hospital authorities informed Thodupuzha police, which made arrangements to shift the boy to Kolanchery Medical College, where he was put on ventilator. 

After a 10-day long battle for survival, the boy passed away on April 6. The police later found that the accused had sexually abused the younger sibling. Later, the police slapped a POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) case against the accused. While Arun is in judicial custody, the mother was also arrested for supressing facts and thereby protecting the accused.  

Arun Anand was cohabiting with the woman after the death of her husband.

On May 6, the CWC had granted custody of the child to the paternal grandfather living at Thiruvananthapuram for a period of one month.

Joseph Augustine, CWC Chairman, Idukki told TNM, "We directed the paternal grandfather to produce the child before the CWC on May 30. The CWC committee will take a final decision on the child’s protection, and we will assure his protection in any manner.”

On May 6, the District CWC ordered the police to register a case against the mother under the Juvenile Justice Act. After that, Thodupuzha police also registered a case against her. On May 10, the police arrested the victim’s mother. She was the second accused in the case in which her partner Arun Anand was the first accused. She was arrested under Sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender) and 212 (harbouring offender), said police. She was granted bail on the same day and is now at a counselling centre in Koothattukulam.