THODUPUZHA: Arun Anand, step-father of the seven-year-old boy who succumbed to his injuries the other day, had a sumptuous meal in the afternoon after knowing about the death. The accused Arun Anand brutally beat the child, flung him on the ground, smashed his head against a cupboard and beat him with a stick. The state was praying for the boy, who was battling for life at a hospital in Kolencherry for the past nine days, to recover.

The police had informed Arun, who is in police custody, the news of the boy’s death. But after hearing it, there were no expressions on his face. He had a sumptuous meal with mutton curry.

Arun assaulted the boy on March 28. The seriously injured boy was taken to the hospital early morning by the child’s mother and her companion Arun. They first told the doctor that the child sustained injuries in a fall. The child was not conscious at that time. The injuries were grievous and so the doctors did not believe what the two said and informed the police. Shocking details were obtained in a probe conducted. Arun used to severely assault the boy and his younger brother. The two were also sexually abused by Arun. The boy’s father had died earlier.

With the child’s death, murder charge has been slapped on the accused.