Anantnag: A policeman was arrested and booked for attempt to murder and other charges in Seer Hamdan area of Anantnag district after he confessed to have “disciplined” his nephew by scalding him with a hot iron all over his body, including the face.
He has been identified as Muhammad Ashraf Rather of Waedwan area and presently living in Seer Hamdan.
Kashmir Reader had on Wednesday reported about the incident wherein an 8-year-old kid (name withheld) had burn marks all over his body. The kid in a video that went viral on social media had accused Ashraf (his paternal uncle) of torturing him.
In a twist however, the kid’s mother had in another video taken the blame of torturing the kid, “after I found him smoking and stealing”. Ashraf, on the other hand, told Kashmir Reader that he was being framed and blamed a man he had recently bought a house from for trying to frame him.
The kid, meanwhile, on Tuesday evening was handed over to the local Auqaaf Committee soon after a child welfare group ‘ChildLine’ run under the umbrella of Ministry of Women and Child Development took cognizance of the matter.
“Later in the evening, we also took cognizance of the matter and rounded up Ashraf,” a senior police official from the area said, adding that Ashraf confessed to have scalded the kid with a hot iron, “He maintained that he did so to discipline the kid.”
Following Ashraf’s confession, police have registered a case (FIR, number 105-2020 under sections 342, 323, 307 and 75 Juvenile Justice Act) against him. They charges include attempt to murder, wrongful confinement and voluntarily causing hurt.
“We have filed the charges against him. Besides, he will also face a departmental inquiry as well,” the police official said.
The custody of the child, meanwhile, has been taken by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
“We will see what is in the best interest of the child and act accordingly,” Dr Tawheeda Makhdoomi, Chairperson of the CWC, told Kashmir Reader.

Suhail A Shah