Farmer arrested for beating 14-year-old son to death over cellphone

Nashik: A 40-year-old farmer has been arrested for allegedly beating his 14-year-old son to death over the trivial issue of using a cellphone late at night on Sunday in the Harsul village of Nashik's Trimbakeshwar taluka.The accused, Shankar Pimpalke, a resident of Vaishnav Nagar in Harsul village, was arrested on Monday after he fled the area following the assault. The police said the boy, Sarthak, a Std VIII student, died of severe internal injuries inflicted during a brutal attack by his father.According to the police, the incident occurred around 11.30pm on Sunday.Assistant inspector Jeevan Borse, of the Harsul police station in Nashik Rural, said the family had earlier watched a movie on their only cellphone and gone to sleep. Later in the night, Pimpalke reportedly woke up and found his son using the same phone outside the house."Enraged, Pimpalke allegedly began beating the boy mercilessly with a wooden plank. When his wife intervened to shield the child, the accused reportedly turned on her as well. Sarthak then stepped forward to protect his mother, only to bear the brunt of further violence, including kicks and punches that caused grievous internal injuries. The boy collapsed during the assault," said Borse.The Police said the accused then picked up his cellphone and went out, leaving the injured child behind. "As the family lives on an isolated farm, the boy's mother raised an alarm, after which neighbours came to the spot and alerted the police," Borse said.Sarthak was taken to a govt rural hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.Based on a complaint filed by the boy's mother, the Harsul police registered a case of murder against Pimpalke and arrested him from another village on Monday.