A businessman crushed an 18-month-old boy to death with his SUV in Bhiwandi, Mumbai on January 9. He allegedly bore a grudge against the child’s father. The police have now registered a case against the accused Viswanath Hulawale (38).
The victim, Devang Patil, was a resident of Kolivli village in Bhiwandi, and his father Dayanand Patil is also a businessman. It was reported, that Patil and Hulawale were neighbours and their relationship soured due to a drainage dispute in 2005.
Things became more precarious when Hulawale attacked Patil with a sword. Following this incident, the latter relocated and rented his home to his brother and his wife Darshana.
On the fateful day, Darshana took Devang to her home, where Hulawale on spotting the child playing outside the house, crushed him under the wheels of his SUV and ran. Hulawale has been booked under IPC Section 302(murder), said the police.
This heinous crime once again highlights the issues of child safety in India.
According to National Crime Records Bureau's June 2014 report, a total of 58,224 crimes against children were registered in 2013, a rise of 52.5 percent over the previous year. The rate of crimes against children increased by 13.2 percent. This was calculated as the number of crimes per lakh of child population.
With such a marginal increase, parents must follow some basic and important rules when it comes to child safety:
- Never leave your child unsupervised, even for a second
- Do not be too complacent, even if you know the babysitter
- If you know your child tends to move around too much, inform the babysitter to keep an eye on your child at all times
- If the gate of your house is usually open, make sure you baby proof it and put child-safety locks.
- Notice your child's reaction when they meet strangers and do not force them to like these strangers
By following these very basic rules, you can ensure your child’s safety and also be better prepared. Your child's basic nature is to explore, but you must make sure he does so in a safe environment.
(Image courtesy, for representational purposes only: Sciencedaily)
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