Mother arrested for throwing disabled son into crocodile-infested canal

A woman has been arrested in southern India for allegedly throwing her disabled six-year-old son into a canal infested with crocodiles after an argument with her husband.

The incident occurred at Halamadi village in Dandeli taluk on Saturday night and a case of murder has been registered against Savitri (32) and her husband Ravi Kumar (36), who have been arrested, a local police said.

The couple frequently fought with each other over the disability of their son, Vinod (6), who is hearing and speech impaired since birth, a senior police officer said.

“After a quarrel over the same matter escalated on Saturday night, Savitri allegedly threw her son into a waste canal linked to the crocodile-infested Kali river around 9pm,” Dandeli rural police inspector Krishna Barakeri told the Hindustan Times.

The boy’s body was found in the jaws of a crocodile and was retrieved after the crocodile was captured, police said. The body had severe injuries, bite marks, and a missing right arm.

Savitri said her husband tortured her mentally and told her to throw their child into the canal. “My husband is responsible. He used to keep saying let the son die and that all he does is eat.