Brutal assault on infant in Jaffna; Mother arrested

The woman, suspected to have mercilessly assaulted an infant, and the incident was witnessed in video footage circulated on social media platforms, was arrested last morning in Jaffna, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

He said the woman (24) who was involved in that savagery was the eight-month-old boy's mother.

DIG Rohana said the police have begun an investigation into this barbaric act after a video footage in social media brought this incident to light.

The Police investigations disclosed that the said woman had left the country for Kuwait a few years back and returned a month ago with the infant.

The infant was taken under police custody to care for his future and to provide necessary medical attention, he said.

The incident took place in Velankanni Lane, Navalady in Ariyalai off Jaffna.

"There is a tendancy of increasing cruelty and harassment on children and showing discrimination against them in society.

Stern action will be taken against the perpetrators, including the parents if they fail to treat their children with humanity," the police spokesman said.

The territorial police divisions have been informed to take stringent action against the culprits for committing such offences. 

Meanwhile, the Nallur National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) officer told the Daily Mirror that the infant's mother claimed that she was ill-treated by her husband and that resulted in her  return to Sri Lanka.

However, the child was beaten by her following a heated argument with her husband who is still in Kuwait.

The savagery was filmed by the woman's brother, the officer said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)