A spine-chilling case of child abuse and murder has ignited fury in Lucknow’s Chowk area, where a father and stepmother allegedly beat their young son Arnav to death, prompting residents to assault the accused as police struggled to control the mob. The arrests were made on Saturday, a day after a murder case was formally registered following a post-mortem report that exposed severe physical assault, including fractures and multiple injury marks across the boy’s body.
The FIR was filed by the child’s maternal grandmother, who accused the father and his second wife of murdering him. A relative alleged that the couple routinely beat the child and even administered electric shocks to him, stating, “My four-year-old nephew was killed by his father and stepmother. They used to beat him regularly and even give him electric shocks. Whenever we visited him, we noticed injury marks on his body. This time, they beat him to death in the bathroom.” Chowk police station in-charge Nagesh Upadhyay confirmed that both accused have been taken into custody and that the investigation is actively under way.
About 21 Marks, Burns And Broken Bones
The post-mortem report laid bare the full extent of the brutality: Arnav’s body bore around 21 injury marks stemming from both recent and older beatings, including blunt force trauma inflicted by sticks, cigarette burns and a fatal blow caused by his head being slammed against a wall. Authorities found visible injuries on the child’s shoulder, chest, chin and forehead, with further marks of severe beating on his back, legs and other parts of the body. Police suspect the child may have been severely beaten and subsequently smothered to death, based on the nature of the documented injuries.
Arnav’s grandmother and uncle disclosed they were never permitted unsupervised visits and that in scorching summer heat, the child was forced to wear full-sleeve shirts and even a monkey cap to conceal his injuries from the outside world. When Chowk police brought the accused couple to their home for investigations, furious residents erupted, hurling abuses and slapping the father, a practising lawyer, while attempting to assault both suspects.
Heavy police deployment barely contained the chaos as locals surrounded the vehicle, demanding the death penalty and immediate justice. Station House Officer Nagesh Upadhyay urged calm and assured the public that authorities were committed to swift legal action.
A Child Robbed Of His Home Twice Over
Arnav’s biological mother the accused man’s first wife had died due to illness in 2022, after which the child went to live with his maternal relatives in Unnao for nearly three years. His father later remarried and secured custody of the boy through court proceedings, bringing him to Lucknow. After taking him home, the father allegedly cut off most contact between Arnav and his maternal relatives, permitting only occasional, brief phone calls.
The maternal family alleged that the mistreatment began soon after the second marriage. The accused couple initially tried to cover up the death, telling relatives the child had fallen ill with vomiting and diarrhoea and had died after a fall in the bathroom. The case has reignited serious concerns over child protection in India, where reported offences against children under the POCSO Act have more than doubled from roughly 33,210 in 2017 to over 64,000 by 2022, a trend that experts say has continued into 2025.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Little Arnav, who was affectionately called “Guggu” at home deserved a childhood full of laughter, safety and love. Instead, his final months were defined by terror inflicted by the very people a court had entrusted with his care. This case is not just about two individuals who allegedly committed a monstrous act, it is a damning indictment of every gap in the system that allowed it to continue, unseen and unpunished, for months. Custody rulings without post-placement oversight, relatives unable to raise the alarm effectively and a child made to wear long sleeves in peak summer to hide bruises from the world, these are systemic failures, not just personal tragedies. India urgently needs a legally mandated child welfare monitoring mechanism that follows every custody order with regular, independent home checks. The grief and rage on the streets of Lucknow’s Chowk reflect a society’s conscience refusing to stay silent.
Horrific: In Lucknow, father Bhishma Kharbanda (35) & stepmom Ragini allegedly tortured & killed 4yo Arnav using broom, rope, knife, belt. Post-mortem: 18+ injuries, electrocution, strangulation. Motive? Property greed. Both arrested. Poor baby 💔 pic.twitter.com/qAdBD7tguw
— Believer (@PredatorVolk) March 16, 2026
