Attempted murder of 4-and-a-half years old: Father sentenced to 7 years, stepmother to 10 years RI

Thodupuzha: The Idukki First Class Magistrate Court sentenced a father and stepmother for attempting to murder a four-and-a-half-year-old boy named Shafeeq 11 years ago. The first accused, the father, Shareef, was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined ₹50,000. The second accused, stepmother Aneesha, was given a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence. 

Shafeeq was subjected to extreme cruelty by his father and stepmother. The prosecution's case was built on medical and circumstantial evidence. Charges under the Juvenile Justice Act and attempted murder were upheld by the court, which found both accused as guilty.

In July 2013, Shafeeq, the son of Shareef from Puthenpurackal in Kumily, was severely tortured by Shareef and his second wife Aneesha. The assault left the child with critical head injuries, rendering him unable to recognise even his own identity. Testimony from the second accused's mother revealed that the child had been abused previously as well.

Medical evidence played a pivotal role in the case. The defence claimed that the child had epilepsy, fell from a cot, and sustained burns accidentally. However, the doctor’s report contradicted these claims, highlighting burns in areas inaccessible to the child.

Since the incident, Shafeeq has been under the care of the Al-Azhar Medical College authorities, with Ragini, a nurse, attending to him. In August, Judge Ash K Bal visited Shafeeq at the hospital, observing his condition firsthand.