Man arrested for poisoning minor son to death in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: A man here allegedly killed his 10-year-old son by giving him water mixed with sodium nitrite, a poisonous substance, police said on Wednesday.

Kalpesh Gohel (47), who did not carry out his original plan to commit suicide after killing his children, was arrested following the incident on Tuesday, an official from Bapunagar police station said, adding the reason behind the crime was not yet clear.

Gohel initially gave a "medicine" to his son Om and 15-year-old daughter Jiya to prevent vomiting, at his residence in Ahmedabad's Bapunagar locality, the official said quoting the girl's statement.

He then allegedly gave his son water mixed with sodium nitrite, the official said.

The man had planned to commit suicide after poisoning his children, but developed cold feet after witnessing the deteriorating condition of his son and fled the house, the official said.

Soon after drinking the water, the boy started vomiting. His family members rushed him to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead, the official said.

Gohel lived with his two children, wife and parents. He first gave a medicine to his two children and then water mixed with the chemical to his son, when his wife had gone out, as per the FIR.

While his daughter was not affected, his son started vomiting and turned pale. The man then rushed out of the house leaving his mobile phone behind, the FIR said.

The girl called an ambulance and the boy was rushed to a private hospital where he was declared dead, it said.

The girl told her uncle Yogesh Gohel, who is the complainant in the case, that her father had given her and her sibling a "medicine" to prevent vomiting, the FIR said.

After his arrest, the man confessed to having mixed 30 gm of sodium nitrite in the water given to his son, the FIR said.

He was booked under section 103 (1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The child's body was sent for an autopsy and further investigation was underway, the official said.