Crime Patrol: Child’s essay reveals domestic violence against mother (Episode 187 on 7th Dec 2012)

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The Inside Story

October 12, 2012
A school essay by a seven-year-old has blown the lid on an incident of domestic violence, with a police complaint filed against the boy’s father for allegedly hitting his wife in a fit of rage.
The boy, a student of Thane’s Arya Cambridge International School, when asked to write about his parents, had recounted how his father, Vinod Hanmattekar, a 35-year-old manager in the engineering firm Jacobs, often abused and hit his mother.

According to an offense registered in Kasarwadavli Police Station, Hanmettekar found the essay while going over his son's school's work last Sunday. Enraged, he attacked his wife once again, forcing her to seek help from their neighbour, who then convinced her to take the matter to the cops.

The boy’s mother, who has now gone to live with her parents in Dombivli, has told the police that she has been the victim of her husband's anger in the past.

“The woman recounted the incident about the essay by her son. She told us that teachers in the school had been alarmed by what was written, and had even spoken to her about it. She did not mention this to her husband, fearing that he would get angry,” senior inspector Suresh Pawar told Mumbai Mirror.

“She told us that she had gone to her maternal home after a similar violent episode in March this year, but had come back to her husband once her parents intervened. A non-cognisable offence has been registered as of now, which can be changed to Section 498A (Domestic Violence) of the IPC in case of a repeat offence,” he added.

When contacted, the woman's neighbour at Neelkanth Heights in Kasarwadavli, S Amrute confirmed that she had came to their house seeking shelter after the latest episode. Hanmettekar declined to comment, saying it was a family matter. His wife could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

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