A man in Gujarat's Chhota Udepur district, who was living alone with his eight-year-old son after his wife left home, strangled the child and dumped his body in a water-filled pit before attempting suicide by slashing his own throat with a blade, police said.
The accused, Jayeshbhai Nayaka, sustained serious injuries in the suicide attempt and was rushed to a hospital for treatment. His condition was reported to be critical.
The incident came to light after local residents discovered the child’s body and alerted the police.
Nayaka was initially taken to a hospital for first aid. However, given the severity of his injuries, he was referred to an advanced medical facility.
According to preliminary police investigations, family-related issues and mental stress may have contributed to the incident.
The child's mother had left the house earlier, leaving Nayaka to live alone with his son. Police said he had reportedly been under considerable mental stress over his circumstances and concerns about his child's future.
Police are examining whether his worries about what would happen to his son after his death and whether he would be able to provide the child with a secure and happy life played a role in the incident.
The circumstances surrounding the incident and the precise sequence of events are being investigated.
Following a complaint filed by a relative, the Gujarat Police registered a murder case and initiated an investigation. The child's body has been sent for a post-mortem examination, while police have begun recording statements from eyewitnesses as part of the probe, officials said.
The incident comes amid reports of three cases in Gujarat over the past 15 days in which parents allegedly killed their children. Similar incidents were reported in Vav-Tharad and Rajkot before the case in Chhota Udepur.
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