Police in Karnataka, India have arrested a mother after she allegedly threw her six-year-old son into a crocodile-infested canal, where he was mauled to death. The mother, Savitri Kumar, 26, was taken into custody alongside her husband, Ravi Kumar, 27, following the incident in the Uttara Kannada district on the evening of May 4, 2024.
The boy, Vinod, who had speech and hearing impairments, was thrown into a waste canal that leads into the Kali River, which is known for its crocodile population, after a heated argument between his parents.
Neighbors who witnessed the incident alerted the police, who launched a search operation with the help of neighbors and divers, but the darkness prevented them from immediately finding anything. The boy’s body was discovered the following morning, missing a hand and covered in bite marks. Authorities believe Vinod was attacked and killed by one or more crocodiles.
According to police reports, Savitri allegedly threw Vinod into the canal after an argument with her husband, who had long criticized her for giving birth to a child with disabilities. Ravi reportedly told his wife to “throw the child away” and “let [Vinod] die.
“My husband is to blame. He kept insisting that Vinod should be left to die,” Savitri told reporters. She added, “If my husband kept repeating that, how much suffering could my son endure?”
Police Inspector Krishna Barakeri of the Dandeli Rural Police Station told the media, “Savitri allegedly threw her son into a waste canal linked to the crocodile-infested Kali river around 9 p.m. on Saturday. We have registered a case at Dandeli Rural Police station under Section 109 (abetment) and Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested both husband and wife in connection with the incident,” he added.
The couple also has a two-year-old son. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Vinod’s death and have ordered a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause.
The Kali River stretches over 111 miles in Karnataka and is home to the mugger crocodile, a native species known for its aggressive behavior.