Following the viral video of a 13-year-old boy's brutal assault by his stepfather in Chadayamangalam, authorities have decided to relocate the victim, his siblings and their mother to the CWC home, with plans to offer the woman temporary employment.
Kollam (Kerala): The 13-year-old boy who was brutally assaulted by his stepfather in Chadayamangalam, along with his family, will be relocated to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Authorities are also considering offering the boy's mother a temporary job at the CWC home.
The victim is the woman's child from her first relationship, and she has two other children, one of whom has health issues. Given these circumstances, the decision was made to move all three children and their mother to the CWC. Offering the mother a temporary position at the committee will also provide the family with a source of income, which was a key factor in the decision. Meanwhile, leaders including Minister Bindu Krishna visited the victim's residence.
How the assault came to light
Footage of the 13-year-old being savagely beaten by his intoxicated stepfather surfaced recently. The victim, an eighth-standard student and a native of Nilamel, was assaulted by his stepfather, 44-year-old Rajesh, a native of Oyoor. After video clips of him cruelly abusing the child circulated on social media, Chief Minister V D Satheesan ordered the immediate arrest of the accused.
On Thursday night, an intoxicated Rajesh attacked the boy while he was playing in the hall of their house. He repeatedly struck the child with a stick and later chased and beat him. The boy's mother shared the video footage of this incident on social media. Outside the hall, Rajesh lifted the child up, stripped off his clothes, and continued to beat him. Despite the boy crying out loudly, “Don't hit me, father”, the assault continued. In the video, the child can also be heard saying tearfully, “I am scared.”
Police action and arrest
Because Rajesh frequently beat the children, the mother recorded the assault on video and lodged a complaint with Childline. Upon seeing the footage of the abuse through the media, the Chief Minister instructed the Kollam Rural SP to arrest the perpetrator immediately. Consequently, Rajesh was taken into custody near his residence by Thursday afternoon.
The arrest was carried out by a police team led by Kadakkal CI S Saralal, Chadayamangalam SIs Balaji S Kurup, Harichand and Ameen, along with CPO Nishad. The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has also registered a case regarding the incident.
Published: 14 Nov 2026, 02:55 pm IST
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