4-year-old boy beaten to death by his mother's lover in Maharashtra

Thane: A four-year-old boy was allegedly beaten to death by his mother's lover in Maharashtra's Thane district, with the police yet to determine the motive behind the crime, officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Shambhu Sharma, was arrested after police grew suspicious during the initial probe into the child's death on Monday. The incident took place within the jurisdiction of the Kashimira police station.

According to police, the boy's mother had been living with Sharma. The child was allegedly brutally assaulted by the accused at home, leading to his death. An attempt was made to pass off the death as natural, they said.

However, police noticed injury marks on the child's body during the panchnama and sent the body for post-mortem. The autopsy report confirmed death due to severe internal injuries caused by the assault.

Based on the findings, police detained Sharma, and he confessed to beating the child, police said.

A case of murder was registered against Sharma on Tuesday, officials said, adding a probe was underway to ascertain why he assaulted the child and whether the mother was aware of the alleged crime.