Mom Allegedly Threw Her Disabled 6-Year-Old Son to His Death in Crocodile-Infested Waters
(Image: NDTV)
A mother allegedly threw her disabled six-year-old son into crocodile-infested waters where he was mauled to death following an argument with her husband. Savitri Kumar and her husband, Ravi Kumar, were both arrested in connection with the horrifying incident in Karnataka, western India. The young boy, Vinod, was born with a hearing and speech impediment, which had reportedly been a frequent source of heated arguments between his parents, according to The Times of India.
Local police revealed that Ravi often blamed his wife for giving birth to a child with disabilities and had repeatedly suggested that she “throw the child away.” On Saturday evening, after the couple got into another fight about Vinod, Savitri allegedly threw the boy into a waste canal that flows into the Kali River, known to be infested with crocodiles. Vinod was reportedly asleep at the time.
Neighbors alerted the police, prompting a desperate search for the young boy. Local volunteers and divers scoured the dangerous waters in search of Vinod, but their rescue attempts were halted due to darkness. Recalling the horrific scene, one eyewitness told The New Indian Express, “We could see one of the crocodiles holding the body in its mouth.”
The search resumed on Sunday morning, and police recovered Vinod’s body from the river. Officers believe the six-year-old was killed in a crocodile attack, as his body was covered in bite marks, and he was missing a hand, according to News 18. The body has been sent for a post-mortem to confirm the cause of death.
The police have classified the incident as a “murder” case. A police officer told The Times of India, “We have registered a case at Dandeli Rural Police station under section 109 (abetment of any offense, if the act is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment) and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested both husband and wife in connection with the incident.”
Savitri reportedly blamed her husband for the tragedy, telling reporters, “My husband is responsible. He kept saying let [Vinod] die,” according to CBC News. She added, “If my husband keeps repeating such things, how much torture could my son endure? But he kept repeatedly telling me to let the child die.”
The couple appeared in court and have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody, according to Hindustan Times. The police inspector confirmed that “further investigation is underway.” The couple also shares a two-year-old son.
