Thiruvananthapuram:
Beaten mercilessly and tortured by his own parents, a five-year-old child is battling for life in a Kerala hospital, lying in coma, with extensive damage to his brain and lungs and horrifying injuries all over his body.
Four days after the child was brought in with signs of shocking brutality allegedly by his father and stepmother, his own mother came to visit him in hospital.
Doctors at St John's Hospital in Idukki district say they have seen some improvement -slight limb movement and some breathing on his own - but he remains critical.
Doctors fear even if the boy survives, he may have permanent brain damage. After public outrage over the case, the state government today said it would spare no expense in his treatment.
The child's father Sherif and stepmother Aneesha have been charged with attempt to murder after investigations revealed they had tortured the little boy for years. They had brought him to the hospital claiming he had been hurt in a fall while taking his bath.
But doctors noticed alarming wounds all over his body and called the police.
"The child is suffering from 75% brain damage due to a severe head injury, three fractures on his legs, bruises on his arms and punch marks on his chest," said a doctor.
Relatives crowding the hospital corridors have not been allowed anywhere near the child. Adopted by the state, the boy is now solely under the care of the hospital staff.
In the Kumali town where the boy lived, neighbours are stunned that such sickening abuse stayed hidden, although they had often heard the boy crying.
"I have seen the mother drag the child around, pinch him, I have heard the child cry many times in a day," a neighbor, Vasu, told NDTV.
"Neighbors told us the child was not allowed outside. And at home, he would be absolutely quiet when there were visitors," added Investigating Officer CI Binu Kumar.
The police say the boy's brother was sent to an orphanage because of frequent fights in the family, but the details are not immediately clear.
After such instances of child brutality in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has talked about a separate law and set up a panel to suggest guidelines for child safety.