Man kills son near temple fearing he'd become tantric, sleeps beside bloodied body

Not wanting his son to follow in his and his father's footsteps and become a tantric, a man in Gujarat allegedly killed his 10-year-old son by grabbing him by the legs and slamming him to the ground two to three times near a Mata temple before striking him on the head with a wooden object.It is unclear whether the boy had ever expressed a desire to become a tantric like his father and grandfather, or whether the accused had merely assumed that he would.The incident took place in Vinchhiya village in Sanand taluka of Ahmedabad district.The boy's mother, Bharati Ben, lodged an FIR against her husband, Naresh Bhai, at the Sanand police station in Ahmedabad Rural district. The police have taken Naresh into custody and begun an investigation. Bharati Ben told the police that she lived in Vinchhiya village with her son and husband, who works as a farmer. Following an argument with Naresh a few days earlier, she had gone to her parental home. Since their son had school examinations, she left him in his father's care.On the night of November 1, neighbours called Bharati Ben and informed her that Naresh had badly assaulted their son. She immediately left for Vinchhiya with her parents, brother and sister-in-law. When she reached the Jogni Mata temple near her house, she found her son lying on a cot in a pool of blood. Naresh was lying on another cot nearby. When Bharati Ben questioned her husband, he allegedly told her that he did not want the boy to grow up to become a tantric. Naresh and his father had both practised as tantrics, she said.Ahmedabad Rural Deputy Superintendent of Police Neelam Goswami said the accused's wife had gone to her parental home following a quarrel, leaving the father and son alone. Goswami also confirmed that Naresh and his father had practised as tantrics.The Sanand police said Naresh told them during questioning that he had killed his son to prevent him from becoming a tantric. The police have sought the assistance of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and a post-mortem examination has been conducted. Further legal action is under way.- Ends