Lucknow Father and Stepmother Arrested in Brutal Child Murder Case
In a shocking development in Lucknow, police on Saturday arrested the father and stepmother of a four-year-old boy after a post-mortem report revealed evidence of brutal assault leading to his death. The case, registered in Chowk, has sent shockwaves through the community as details of prolonged abuse emerge.
Autopsy Uncovers Horrific Injuries
According to the autopsy report, the young victim's body bore 18 serious injuries, including multiple fractures, which pointed to severe and prolonged physical abuse. Investigators suspect that the child was subjected to repeated beatings and may have been smothered to death, highlighting the extreme nature of the violence.
Family Allegations and Custody Battle
The FIR was lodged based on a complaint from the boy's maternal grandmother, who accused the father and his second wife of murder. The child's biological mother had passed away due to illness in 2022. After her death, the boy initially lived with maternal relatives in Unnao, but his father remarried and secured custody through a court order in August 2025.
The grandmother alleged that the abuse began shortly after the custody transfer, with the child being regularly beaten over the past six months. She claimed that the couple forced the boy to wear full-sleeve shirts and caps even during summer to conceal injury marks, a tactic to hide the abuse from outsiders.
Restricted Contact and Discovery of Abuse
After bringing the child to Lucknow, the father reportedly restricted his contact with the maternal family, allowing only brief phone calls. When relatives visited the house upon learning of the boy's death on Thursday, they observed multiple bruises and burn-like marks on his body, including on the back and legs, further corroborating the abuse allegations.
Arrests and Family Tensions
Police acted swiftly, arresting both accused on Saturday shortly after the post-mortem report confirmed the injuries. Tensions flared outside the post-mortem house on Friday when the two families clashed and exchanged heated arguments, reflecting the emotional turmoil surrounding the case.
Following the autopsy, the body was handed over to the child's maternal family, who performed the last rites. Chowk police station in-charge Nagesh Upadhyay confirmed the details, emphasizing the gravity of the incident and the ongoing investigation into this tragic loss of a young life.
