Mother of boy killed in assault by her partner arrested

The mother of a seven-year-old boy, who was killed after being assaulted by her partner in March, was arrested Friday, police said.

The 36-year old woman, who was undergoing psychological treatment after the child's death, was arrested from a counselling centre at Koothattukulam in Ernakulam district.

The woman, a widow and mother of two including the deceased boy, has been arrayed as the second accused in the case.

After battling for life for eight days, the boy had breathed his last at a private hospital in Ernakulam on March 28.

"The woman has been charged under IPC 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and 212 (harbouring offender)," a senior police official told PTI.

The main accused, Arun Anand (36), the live-in partner of the woman, was arrested soon after the incident and is currently in jail.

He had been charged under Section 302 of the IPC (Punishment for murder), 303 (attempt to murder) and the Juvenile Justice Act.

According to police, the incident occurred in Thodupuzha area of Idukki district in the early hours on March 28.

The accused had allegedly kicked and beaten the victim's four-year-old brother as a punishment for bedwetting at 3 am.

When the seven-year-old tried to protect his younger brother, Anand allegedly hurled the child on the ground, smashed his head against a wardrobe and used a walking stick to beat him up.

The boy had suffered skull fracture, internal bleeding and lung injury, besides cuts and bruises all over his body.

The incident came to light after police and Child Helpline authorities received information about the child's worsening health condition from a hospital in Thodupuzha, where he was initially taken.

The boy was later shifted to the hospital at Kolenchery in Ernakulam for emergency surgery.

Police had said besides the victim, his brother also sustained injuries all over his body.

The woman's husband passed away 10 months ago after which Anand had been staying with the family.