In a barbaric and gut-wrenching act of jealousy, 24-year-old Jitendra Pathak alias Viraj has brutally murdered an innocent 18-month-old boy named Aarav by repeatedly smashing him onto the ground, simply because the toddler stood as an obstacle between him and the child’s mother, Rati Devi. This is not a crime; this is pure savagery that exposes the rotten underbelly of twisted lust and moral decay in society.
According to police, Viraj, who ran a grocery shop in Budaun and was a relative (cousin of Rati’s husband), had developed an obsession with Rati Devi, a 24-year-old teacher. He allegedly pressured her to divorce her husband and marry him. When Rati repeatedly rejected his proposal, the monster saw little Aarav as a hindrance to fulfilling his desires. On Saturday afternoon in Shikohabad’s Yadav Colony, Viraj took the helpless toddler outside on the pretext of buying him a toffee, carried him to a deserted stretch, and slammed the child’s fragile body onto the ground at least eight times in just 34 seconds, as captured on chilling CCTV footage.
The sheer brutality of crushing a defenceless 18-month-old toddler, who could barely walk or speak, highlights Jitendra Pathak’s complete absence of humanity. What kind of man looks at a laughing, playing baby and sees only an obstruction to his lust? This is the mindset of a predator, not a lover. Police arrested Viraj after a shootout in which he opened fire on officers; he sustained a leg injury and later confessed.
This incident is yet another shameful chapter in Uttar Pradesh’s long list of horrific crimes against children. It reflects a dangerous sickness where personal desires trump basic human decency, where jealousy turns into bloodlust, and where the most vulnerable pay with their lives. Enough is enough.
The police must ensure that Jitendra Pathak alias Viraj is charged under the strictest provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 103(1) for murder, and relevant sections under the POCSO Act for crimes against a child. There should be no leniency, no compromise, and no political or social shielding. This killer deserves the harshest punishment possible under Indian law — the death penalty.
What legal action should be taken as soon as possible:
▪️Immediate and fast-track trial with no adjournments.
▪️Capital punishment for this cold-blooded child killer Jitendra Pathak.
▪️Strict action against any attempt to dilute the case or influence witnesses.
▪️A thorough investigation into the full circumstances.
▪️Stronger societal and legal deterrents to prevent such jealous rage killings, especially involving children.
The people of Firozabad and the entire nation are watching. The judiciary and law enforcement must deliver justice that matches the brutality of this crime. No more soft handling of monsters. An 18-month-old child named Aarav was smashed to death for simply existing. If the system fails to hang Jitendra Pathak for this heinous act, it fails every child in this country.
This horror must not fade into another statistic. Let the rope speak where mercy has no place. Justice for Aarav. Now.
