Nedumangad toddler's death ruled homicide; mother, stepfather in police custody

Nedumangad (Kerala): The death of one-and-a-half-year-old Arshid in Nedumangad has been confirmed as a homicide following the release of the preliminary post-mortem report. The medical examination revealed that severe, continuous physical assault resulted in fatal internal bleeding across multiple organs. Following the findings, the Nedumangad police detained the toddler's mother Akhila and his stepfather Ashkar.

The family had been living in a rented house at Karikkuzhi here. According to investigators, Ashkar brought the child to the SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, claiming the boy had vomited while being fed rice. The toddler passed away shortly after arrival.

The child's mother was reportedly away in Tamil Nadu attending a dance performance when the incident transpired.

The systemic abuse came to light after the child's maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather filed a formal complaint with the police, citing suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. Relatives stated that Ashkar routinely subjected the toddler to brutal physical torture, alleging that he had even fractured the child's arm approximately a month prior to the fatal incident.

The police inquest report noted visible, older injury marks on the boy's body, which authorities believe are consistent with sustained long-term domestic abuse. A criminal case has been registered against both parents, and an investigation team led by the Nedumangad DYSP is currently conducting interrogations.