KOCHI: A few days after an infant suffered a serious head injury following an attack by the father, another similar incident has surfaced in Ernakulam district.
Police arrested a man in Thrivankulam near Tripunithura for frequently physically torturing his eight-month-old daughter. Anand, a native of Thiruvankulam, was arrested following information from the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
According to police, CWC officials rescued the child from her residence on Friday morning after receiving a tip-off from neighbours and an Asha worker in the locality. "There are no injury marks on the body of the child. But the statement of the mother revealed that the child was brutally tortured by her father," an officer said.
On Friday morning, the accused threw the child to the floor but luckily the mother was able to grab her, averting a major injury. "Similarly, the accused refused to give medical treatment to the child when she fell sick a few weeks ago. The accused used to beat up his two children and wife every day under the influence of the alcohol," the police officer said.
The accused is a daily wage labourer who stayed with his family in a small rented house.
"Fearing further torture, the mother of the child did not lodge a complaint. He also mentally harassed them every day. The victim also has an elder sister who also suffered similar treatment from the father. Issues in the marital relationship can be a reason behind the accused attacking the mother and the children," he said.
The police recorded the arrest of the accused in the afternoon charging sections of Juvenile Justice Act against him. He was later produced at the court and was remanded.
In a similar incident on June 21, a 54-day-old child suffered a severe head injury and brain hemorrhage after being attacked by her father at Angamaly. The victim who underwent surgery is likely to be discharged from the hospital on Saturday.