AHMEDABAD: A mentally disturbed man allegedly murdered his 10-year-old son by smashing his head against a goddess’s altar at their home in Ahmedabad district’s Vinchhiya village and then slept beside his body, police said on Monday.The incident took place on Sunday night in Sanand taluka. The accused, Naresh Patel, is a farm labourer and was at home with his son, Karan, at the time of the incident. His wife, Bhartiben, had gone to her parents’ house following a quarrel with him.In her police complaint, Bhartiben alleged that Patel told her he had sacrificed their only son at the goddess’s altar to ensure that no other family member became a “bhuva” after him. A bhuva is a traditional ritual practitioner who acts as an intermediary between the local community and deities.“The man killed his son Karan at a small altar of a goddess in his house and slept next to his body on a cot. The accused is severely mentally disturbed. The boy’s mother had left for her parents’ home following an argument with her husband,” police said.Bhartiben had left the boy with his father as he had to attend school. A neighbour informed her about the incident over the phone on Sunday night. She reached the village around 9.30pm and found Karan lying on a cot, covered in blood, with an injury on his forehead. Patel was beside him on the same cot, with bloodstains on his clothes, the FIR stated.The woman further alleged that her husband told her his father had served as a “bhuva” for the goddess and that he had assumed the role after him. He claimed he had sacrificed their son to prevent another family member from taking on the role after him, she said.According to the complaint, Patel grabbed Karan by his legs and slammed him against the ground two to three times in front of the goddess’s altar before hitting his head with a stick.Police arrested the accused after receiving information about the incident and have launched an investigation.
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