UP boy beaten to death by father, stepmother over theft suspicion

Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh: A 10-year-old boy was mercilessly beaten to death by his father and stepmother on suspicion of theft in Tyodi Biswa village here on Saturday, police said.

According to the police, Naushad (45) used a wooden stick to beat up his son Ahad under the suspicion of stealing Rs 500.

Ahad's stepmother, 40-year-old Razia is believed to have instigated the brutal attack. The couple, married for five years, also had a daughter, they said.

Modinagar Assistant Commissioner of Police Gyan Praksh Rai, said,"Ahad's stepmother used to treat him with cruelty. On Saturday morning, when Naushad discovered that Rs 500 was missing from his pocket, Razia accused Ahad of theft, triggering a violent outburst from the father."

Naushad dragged his son into a room and started hitting him with the wooden stick. The boy eventually lost consciousness, he said.

After some time, the couple fled the scene, leaving the child's body lying in a pool of blood.

Neighbours alerted the police, who arrived at the spot and sent the body for a postmortem. Naushad and Razia were subsequently arrested and charged with murder based on a complaint filed by Ahad's grandmother, the officer said.