In a case that has sent shockwaves through Kerala, the tragic death of a one-and-a-half-year-old toddler named Arshid has rapidly unfolded into a horrific narrative of prolonged torture, domestic violence, and missed warning signs. The Nedumangad police have arrested the child’s mother, twenty-four-year-old Akhila, and her thirty-one-year-old live-in partner, Ashkar, on murder charges. As the investigation deepens under the leadership of the Nedumangad Deputy Superintendent of Police, a deeply disturbing pattern of behavior has emerged regarding the treatment of the child and the male accused's violent past.
The incident initially came to light on Friday, May twenty-ninth, when Arshid was rushed to a private hospital in Panavoor before being shifted via ambulance to SAT Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. In his statement to the police, Ashkar claimed that after having lunch, water, and being put to sleep, the child suddenly started coughing, choking, and vomiting before losing consciousness. However, the subsequent post-mortem report completely shattered this narrative, revealing that Arshid’s death was actually the result of severe internal bleeding in multiple parts of his body, including his head, stemming from suspected repeated beatings over an extended period.
The medical examination and subsequent police disclosures paint a gruesome picture of the daily reality the toddler faced. Investigators discovered up to fifty distinct injuries, both fresh and healed, across Arshid's tiny body from different periods. These included chronic internal injuries and circular burn marks scattering his body that prima facie appear to be from cigarette butts. Furthermore, the child’s maternal grandmother revealed that Arshid had previously suffered fractures to both of his arms. At the time, the couple dismissed the severe injuries as the result of a simple fall. Police officials stated that this is a pure case of the parents not being willing to take care of the child. Akhila is being included alongside Ashkar in the murder chargesheet because she was fully aware that her partner regularly beat her son, yet she failed to intervene, protect her child, or report the ongoing torture to the authorities.
The tragedy is compounded by the fact that family members had previously tried to sound the alarm. Following the death of Arshid’s biological father from Akhila’s first marriage, Akhila had informed the police that she was unable to look after the child, and Arshid was subsequently cared for by his maternal grandmother. According to the grandmother, the boy was completely unharmed while living under her roof, and the abuse began only after Akhila took the boy back to live with her and Ashkar. Noticing the repeated injuries and doubting the explanation for the broken arms, the grandmother had previously lodged a formal complaint with the police. Ultimately, it was the persistent suspicions of both the maternal and paternal grandfathers regarding the circular burn marks and injuries that pushed the police to hold off on closing the case as an unnatural death until full medical evidence was secured.
As news of the arrest spread on Sunday, fresh and terrifying allegations surfaced regarding Ashkar’s past conduct, suggesting a history of extreme domestic abuse. The family of Ashkar’s first wife, Amina, came forward to reveal that Ashkar remains legally married to her, with no formal divorce proceedings ever completed. Amina's mother alleged to the media that Ashkar subjected her daughter to prolonged physical torture, which included repeatedly assaulting her, banging her head against walls, and attempting to hang her from a ceiling fan. This sustained abuse reportedly left Amina bedridden and unconscious for nearly a year. She is currently undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital and has only recently begun to regain her memory.
The sheer brutality of the case has provoked intense fury within the local community. Tense scenes unfolded when the Nedumangad police attempted to take Ashkar to his residence at Karikuzhy for evidence collection as part of the investigation. A large group of local residents converged on the area and attempted to attack the accused, forcing the police to intervene to control the angry crowd and secure the suspect as the investigation continues.
(With inputs from PTI)
