BENGALURU: A seven-year-old boy who was being beaten by a man, who claimed to be his stepfather, has been rescued after neighbours alerted child helpline.
The man, in an inebriated state, would regularly lock the boy in a room and beat him. He has been arrested on charges under the Juvenile Justice Act and other IPC sections pertaining to assault.
The child helpline received a call on June 21 around, saying that a boy was being brutally thrashed by his father every day and that the child was kept locked inside a room.
The caller told the helpline that they regularly hear the boy’s screams for help.
The very next day at 11 am, a child helpline team rushed to the address given by the caller and traced the boy’s house in Bhoganahalli.
On entering the house, they found the boy with severe injuries. The child’s stepfather was not at home at the time. The rescuers learnt that his stepfather Basappa (name changed) had beaten him.
The previous day, Basappa had come home drunk and beat him for an hour. He allegedly tried strangling the boy and threw him on the floor, causing him to injure his neck and face.
Basappa did not bother taking him to a hospital, nor did he allow his wife to do so.
An investigating officer said that this was not the first time Basappa has assaulted the boy. They learnt that Basappa and the boy’s mother were living together with the child for two years before they got married.
After their marriage, the father allegedly started hating the boy. Basappa and the boy’s mother both work as labourers. Basappa has been sent to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.