Thodupuzha : In a recent incident, a 7-year-old boy was left with a cracked skull and suffered critical head injuries after allegedly being assaulted by his mother's partner in Kerala. The boy who is battling for life is believed to have been smashed to ground and hit on the head with a stick by the accused on Thursday while the child was trying to protect his younger brother from being beaten up by the man, police said. Though the boy underwent emergency surgery at a private medical college hospital at Kolenchery in Ernakulam district, his condition continues to be serious, hospital sources said.

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A doctor said "His life is sustained completely on ventilator support now. The next 48 hours is critical... As per the latest scan report, the blood circulation to the brain seems to have stopped,". He said "He sustained skull fracture, internal bleeding and lung injury. The child also had cuts and bruises all over the body,". The incident came to light after police and Child Helpline authorities here received information about the child's worsening health condition from a hospital here, where he was initially taken.

Here it is to be noted that the boy was later shifted to the hospital in Ernakulam for emergency surgery. Police said besides the victim, a second standard student, his 4-year-old brother also sustained injuries all over his body. The statement of the younger sibling has been recorded and details will be known only after detailed interrogation of the mother and her partner, a 36-year-old man hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, they said. A police official told "The accused is under our surveillance. His arrest will be recorded soon,"

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Various sections of IPC, including 303 (attempt to murder), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and Section 75 of the Juvenlie Justice Act have been slapped against him, the official added. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday sought an immediate report from the Idukki district authorities on the incident. He also directed the hospital authorities to ensure all possible expert treatment to the boy.