A man in Madhya Pradesh killed his wife and abandoned their two-year-old son in a dense forest spanning Raisen and Vidisha districts, police said on Monday. Rajendra Ahirwar, from Himotiya village in Begumganj, allegedly bludgeoned his wife Jyoti to death with a stone in a secluded area under the Haidargarh police station jurisdiction, driven by suspicions over her character, and fled the scene leaving the toddler behind.

Police launched a search operation after family members reported the trio missing. Acting on Rajendra's confession following his arrest, authorities mobilized forces from 12 police stations, deploying drones, dog squads, and torchlight teams to comb the forest overnight. After 10 hours of searching, the child was found alive near bushes, dehydrated and frightened but unharmed.

Superintendent of Police Rohit Kashwani confirmed that Rajendra had lured his family out under the pretext of buying a mobile phone two days earlier. He diverted to the forest instead, carried out the attack, and abandoned the child. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, and a case of murder and concealment of evidence has been registered against the accused.

The rescued child was given immediate hydration and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. He is stable and under observation. Rajendra remains in police custody as investigations continue into the circumstances leading to the killing and the timeline of events.

Police have recovered evidence from the crime scene, including the stone used in the attack. The court is expected to take cognizance of the case this week, while local authorities face scrutiny over preventive measures in rural areas where domestic disputes escalate to violence.