THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Minister Bindu Krishna on Monday said a comprehensive investigation would be conducted into various allegations that surfaced against the accused arrested in the toddler death case, following fresh claims of brutal physical abuse by his first wife's family.
Ashkar and his live-in partner, Akhila, were arrested on Sunday in connection with the death of Arshid, the woman's one-and-a-half-year-old son from her first marriage.
Soon after their arrest, the family of Amina, Ashkar's first wife, accused him of subjecting her to years of physical abuse and intimidation.
Amina's mother had alleged that he repeatedly assaulted her daughter, banged her head against walls, and at one point, attempted to hang her from a ceiling fan.
She had claimed the abuse left Amina bedridden and unconscious for nearly a year, and that she had only recently begun regaining her memory.
After visiting Amina and her family here, the Women and Child Development Minister Krishna said she would approach the Home Department seeking a comprehensive probe into the allegations raised against Ashkar.
She also said she would discuss with Chief Minister VD Satheesan the possibility of the government bearing Amina's treatment expenses and assured all possible assistance to the family.
"I visited Amina today. Her condition is heartbreaking. I will speak to the Home Department to ensure cases connected to all allegations are registered at the earliest," she told reporters here.
She said she will also discuss with the CM the issue of taking over Amina's treatment expenses.
Earlier in the day, Amina's father, Sherif, also raised suspicions regarding the death of his 15-year-old son, Mohammed, who was found drowned two years ago, and sought an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
While talking to reporters, he alleged that Ashkar had threatened family members and repeatedly harassed them. Sherif further claimed that complaints lodged against Ashkar earlier had not led to any action.
According to the family, Ashkar remains legally married to Amina and had not formally divorced her before entering into a relationship with Akhila.
Police arrested Ashkar and Akhila after a post-mortem examination revealed multiple injuries on the child's body, indicating severe physical abuse.
The investigation was launched after the deceased child's grandparents had raised suspicions regarding the injuries sustained by the toddler and alleged that he had been subjected to repeated abuse.
The case has triggered widespread public outrage, with police continuing their investigation into the child's death as well as the fresh allegations against Ashkar.