Days after a video surfaced online, showing a father assaulting his three-year-old son in front of police personnel in Hyderabad, the Jagadgiri Gutta police arrested the man and took him into custody on Thursday night.
Earlier, a 33-second video clip of the crime went viral online, showing the accused, identified as Shiva Goud, throwing the child up in the air, and then flipping him behind his back, holding him upside down.
Shiva then rushed towards an auto-rickshaw and hit the child headfirst against the three-wheeler with a tremendous amount of force.
The video showed several of those present at the time screaming in shock, including the mother of the child, as he refused to hand over the baby, before the clip ended.
Speaking to TNM, Jagadgirigutta Station House Officer (SHO) P Srinivas said, "We managed to nab the accused in our jurisdiction itself on Thursday night and produced him in front of a local magistrate. He was sent to judicial remand for 14 days."
"He has been booked under the Child Care and Protection Act and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act, besides a case of attempt to murder under the IPC," the police official added.
The incident took place at 2 am on Monday and two police personnel were present at the time of the crime.
The police said that Shiva was under the influence of alcohol and was hurling abuses at his wife, refusing to cooperate with the police. Shiva then fled from the spot following the assault.
The baby was admitted to Niloufer Hospital in the city, where his condition was said to be stable.
The police said that they received a call on 100 (the emergency service), reporting a nuisance in Srinivasa Nagar, following which they rushed to the spot.
They also added that the boy’s mother did not file a complaint, but they took up a suo-moto case against Shiva Goud.