Mother brands son with red hot ladle

Ongole: An eight-year-old boy was brutally beaten and burnt with a hot ladle by his mother and her lover on Sunday. He was subsequently kept under lock and key without any treatment. The incident came to light on Wednesday when the boy’s aunt intervened.
According to sources, Asha of Vetapalem in Prakasam district had an affair with one K. Arunkumar after the death of her husband Subhani four years back. For the last one year, she had kept her son Basha, 8, at her mother’s house in Chinnaganjam.
Asha had brought the boy to her house four days ago.
On Sunday, Asha and Arunkumar accused Basha of stealing money and brutally assaulted him.
Boy branded with iron, hospitalised
Asha of Vetapalem in Prakasam district and her lover K. Arunkumar burnt the former’s son Basha’s face, hands and legs with a hot ladle after accusing him of stealing money, and kept him locked in the house without any treatment.
On Wednesday, the boy’s aunt, Mastanbi, came for a visit and was shocked to see Basha with 20 per cent burns. She immediately informed her relatives and also alerted the police.
After rescuing Basha, SI E. Ankababu shifted him to the Chirala government hospital and arrested the duo. “Hospital superintendent Dr Prasanna Kumar confirmed that Basha had suffered 20 per cent burns,” he said.
“It will take 10-15 days for the wounds to heal,” the police official said, adding that Basha’s legs and the area above the waist were badly burnt.
Meanwhile, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) district chairman, Mr K. Rammohan, said that the CWC would shift Basha to RIMS hospital for better treatment. "The Integrated Child Protection Society will take care of the boy and will provide free education till he grows up," he said, adding that the "boy would be primarily admitted to Asha Sadan at Ongole (rescue home for children) after treatment and would be sent to the juvenile home at Tirupati organised by CWC for Guntur, Nellore and Prakasam districts."
Mr Rammohan not only assured Basha's education and employment but also vowed to strive towards ensuring strict punishment for the couple for their inhuman behaviour.
Project director of Women and Child Welfare, Ms S. Vidyavathi, also said that necessary help would be given to Basha under the child development project. "The department will conduct awareness programmes about child rights among masses to curb these cruelties," she added.
Mastanbi and other relatives said that they too would look after his needs and provide education for him.
The leaders of various women's organisations at Chirala condemned the cruel behaviour of the couple and demanded stringent action against them and also wanted the government to provide education for the boy.