A five-year-old boy has died in India as an attacker reportedly cut his neck off with a sharp spade. The young boy, named locally as Vikesh, was allegedly beheaded in front of his mother a man who is accused of breaking into their home. According to local reports, Vikesh had been playing outside in Ali village, Madhya Pradesh, as his suspected murderer arrived on a bike, allegedly picked up a sharp spade he found lying in the house and severed the child’s neck from his torso. 

The mother was also injured as she tried to save her son. After hearing screams, neighbours rushed to the scene, offering aid to the mother, catching the attacker, and severely beating him up. 

Dhar Superintendent of Police Mayank Awasthi stated that the accused attacker died on the way to the hospital, the Daily Mail reports. The case was registered against the suspect.

He added: “The actual cause of death will only be known after a post-mortem.” 

The suspect, Mahesh, 25, was not known to the little boy or his family and had been reportedly missing from his home in Jobat Bagdi, Alirajpur, for nearly four days before the brutal attack. He had also reportedly tried to steal items from a nearby store around an hour before the assault. 

Awasthi confirmed: “Police investigations revealed that they had no acquaintance or grudge against the murderer. The police are conducting a detailed investigation.”