Father Stages Accident To Cover Up Son's Murder After Pushing The Child Off Bridge

A 31-year-old man has ended up behind bars for killing his 12-year-old son to avenge his estranged wife. The accused initially told police the child fell into the river while attempting to click a selfie on a bridge.

Saeed Shaik, a scrap dealer from the Indian city of Gujarat, was arrested Monday, police said as per The Times of India.

Local media initially reported the incident, which took place Sunday afternoon, as accidental drowning. Apparently, Saeed previously said his son, Jakir Shaik, was trying to take a selfie while sitting on the bridge when he fell into the river.

However, the officers who questioned the father felt his statements were inconsistent.

"We suspected some wrongdoing as it was difficult to believe [Saeed] Shaik's claim that the boy was sitting on the bridge," a senior police official told the outlet.

Further investigation revealed Saeed had been estranged from his wife. Officers learned the man had a bitter dispute with his wife, after which she left him to stay in her parents' home. Since then, his wife and child had been staying away from Saeed.

"[Saeed] Shaik wanted to harm the child to take revenge from his wife as she did return. He tried hurting the child in the past too," the official added.

He reportedly approached the boy Sunday and asked him to come with him. He lured the child, promising to buy him crackers ahead of the upcoming festival. Instead, the man took his son to the bridge and pushed him off the bridge when no one was in sight. He then shouted for help and fabricated the selfie story to make it seem like a case of accidental drowning.

The boy's body was fished out by Fire And Rescue Service personnel from the river Monday after a day-long search.

Last month, a man was arrested for allegedly drowning his 2-month-old baby girl because he felt the child was not his. The incident happened in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Police said the man suspected his wife of having an affair because, according to him, the child did not resemble anyone in the family. Though he fled the town after the incident, police traced him within hours. The man confessed to killing the child while being questioned by authorities.