A four-year old boy was hacked to death by his father's business partner at Meppadi in this northern district, police said on Saturday.
The accused, Jithesh (45), had brutally attacked the child Adi Dev in broad daylight when his mother Anila was taking him to the nearby anganwadi on Friday.
He attacked the woman and the child and critically injured them with a sharp weapon, police said.
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Both were rushed to a nearby hospital initially and the boy, who had sustained injuries near his left ear and head, was later shifted to the government medical college in Kozhikode.
The child succumbed to his injuries this morning but the condition of the woman is stable as of now, a police officer said.
"We suspect that there were some business related disputes between the child's father Jayaprakash and the accused Jithesh. It might have led to the cruel act. It can be confirmed only after detailed interrogation," he said.
The accused was arrested soon after the crime and has been remanded, the officer added.