Kerala toddler death classified as murder, parents arrested

A one-and-a-half-year-old boy has died in Kerala’s Nedumangad after a postmortem examination confirmed he was subjected to severe physical assault, leading to the arrest of his mother and her live-in partner. The child, identified as Arshid, died at a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, May 29.

Police said the case, initially registered as an unnatural death, was reclassified as murder following the postmortem report. The examination found the toddler died from internal bleeding in vital organs, including the head, caused by sustained physical violence. Officials reported the child’s body bore numerous injuries, both fresh and healed, indicating repeated abuse over time. These injuries reportedly included circular marks suspected to be cigarette burns.

The child’s stepfather, Ashkar, had taken him to SAT Hospital, claiming the boy had vomited after eating. The child was declared dead shortly after arrival. The mother, Akhila, was reportedly in Tamil Nadu attending a dance program at the time.

The investigation began after the child’s maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather filed a formal complaint alleging foul play. Relatives accused Ashkar of routinely abusing the...