THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A three-year-old child from Mannanthala suffered severe burns after hot tea fell on him. The incident happened on June 24. The injured child is currently undergoing treatment at SAT Hospital. Mannanthala police have registered a case and investigation is progressing.
“He is recovering from the burns but he has difficulty walking,” said Abhijith, child‘s father. Following a complaint filed by Sreekutty, the child‘s mother, Juvenile Justice Board recorded the statement of the child. The child allegedly said his grandfather threw hot tea on him after he had come from nursery school.
The child’s grandfather, Uthaman was taken into custody by Mannanthala Police on Friday as they received an intimation from the Juvenile Justice Board. Preliminary investigations revealed that Uthaman, who does loading works, was at a waiting shed in his workplace and not at home when the incident occurred.
“There are certain issues within the family and as per preliminary investigation, Uthaman is not guilty. CCTV footage and other evidence support this,” police sources said.
For further investigation, Uthaman has been asked to report at the police station on Saturday morning. The child, son of a couple from Vattiyoorkkavu, was living with his grandparents as his parents were away for work. His father, Abhijith is a flower vendor at the Chalai market and Sreekutty, the child’s mother, works as a maid in Bengaluru.
The child was taken to Peroorkada hospital by his grandmother immediately when he suffered burns. A neighbour informed the incident to Sreekutty and as she came back, the child was shifted to SAT Hospital. Following this, she filed a complaint with the Juvenile Justice Board. But, after the child’s statement was recorded, Abhijith said that Uthaman, Sreekutty’s stepfather, had previously assaulted the child. Abhijith also said that despite filing a complaint through Childline, the police initially did not register a case. He accused the grandfather of repeatedly assaulting the child.