Navi Mumbai, August 19, 2026: A three-and-a-half-year-old boy was allegedly brutally murdered by his stepfather in Uran after the child told him, “You are not my real father. I want to go to my real father,” police said.
The accused allegedly tried to pass off the killing as an accidental fall from a bed, but the crime came to light after a post-mortem examination revealed multiple serious injuries.
The accused, Jitendra Pradeep Bhise (28), has been arrested by the Mora Coastal Police and booked for murder and under relevant provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. A court has remanded him in police custody till August 20.
The deceased, Moksh (3 years 5 months), lived with his mother Kavya and Bhise at Phanswadi in Mora, Uran. Police said Bhise allegedly subjected the child to physical and mental abuse over petty issues.
Child Allegedly Assaulted
According to the police, Moksh and Bhise were alone at home on the afternoon of August 14 when the child insisted that he wanted to go to his biological father and told Bhise that he was not his real father. Angered by the remarks, Bhise allegedly assaulted the child.
Police said the accused allegedly banged Moksh’s head against a wall, beat his legs with a wooden stick and then punched him forcefully in the chest after throwing him onto a sofa. The assault allegedly caused fractures to the child’s ribs and severe head injuries, resulting in his death.
Accused Allegedly Tried To Hide Crime
After the child died, Bhise allegedly attempted to conceal the crime by claiming that Moksh had been playing at home and had fallen from a bed before becoming unconscious. He took the child to the Indira Gandhi Rural Hospital in Uran, where doctors examined him at around 4 pm and declared him dead.
The accused allegedly then tried to arrange the funeral without informing the police or allowing a post-mortem examination. His suspicious conduct prompted the Mora Coastal Police to intervene.
“The accused initially attempted to portray the death as an accident. However, the medical findings revealed injuries that were not consistent with a simple fall. The post-mortem report, along with the technical investigation, helped establish the sequence of events,” said senior police inspector Rahul Katwani.
Post-Mortem Reveals Injuries
The police took custody of the body and sent it for post-mortem examination, initially registering an accidental death case. An advance death certificate received from the hospital on August 15 mentioned severe head injuries and fractured ribs, pointing towards death caused by assault.
Also Watch:
Following the medical findings, police questioned Bhise, who allegedly confessed to the crime. The accused was subsequently arrested and produced before court, which remanded him in police custody till August 20.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
