The lifeless body of a one-and-a-half-month-old infant, killed by his mother's partner in Karukapally of Ernakulam, finally found rest on December 16, Saturday, after lying unclaimed for 10 days in the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital mortuary. The incident took place on December 2 at a lodge in Karukapally. Shanif, the accused, and the infant’s mother Aswathy were in police custody, and no other relative turned up to receive the baby’s body. Following this, the Kochi police and corporation arranged for the funeral.
On November 30, Shanif and Aswathy checked into a lodge in Karukapalli with the newborn. Alarming events unfolded on December 2, when they rushed the baby to the Ernakulam General Hospital in an unconscious state, claiming the child had choked on the mother's milk. However, the doctor's examination exposed visible injuries on the infant's body. A subsequent autopsy revealed a fatal head injury, prompting the police to take swift action.
Both Shanif and Aswathy, residents of Kannur and Cherthala respectively, were apprehended, after they initially offered a false narrative of the baby falling from their grasp. However, as the investigation deepened, Shanif confessed to the act. He told the police that the child might have been a hindrance to his romantic relationship with Aswathy. The police confirmed that the mother also admitted to being complicit in the murder of her child.
After 10 days of unsettling limbo, the Kerala police, in collaboration with the Kochi Corporation, undertook the responsibility of laying the baby to rest. The final farewell took place at the Pullepady public crematorium, drawing participation from the people around.