Boy, 5, Allegedly Beheaded by a Stranger at Home in Front of His Mother, Before Neighbors Beat the Suspect to Death

A 5-year-old boy was allegedly attacked and beheaded by a stranger in front of his mother inside their home in Madhya Pradesh, central India, on Friday, Sept. 26, according to local authorities, per NDTV, Kaumadi Online and News.com Australia.

The suspect, a 25-year-old man named Mahesh, allegedly broke into the family’s residence, discovered a sharp shovel inside, and used it to assault the boy, who has been identified as Vikas.

According to reports, the attacker severed the boy’s head and continued striking his torso as the mother tried to intervene and was injured in the process.

The mother’s cries reportedly alerted neighbors, who rushed to the scene and allegedly beat the assailant. He later died from his injuries while being transported to the hospital, per the outlets.

Superintendent of Dhar Police Mayank Awasthi described the incident as “extremely heartbreaking” in a statement obtained by NDTV and Kaumadi Online.

Initial investigations suggest that Mahesh had no prior connection to the boy or his family and may have been “mentally unstable,” according to authorities. Reports also indicate that Mahesh’s parents informed police that he had been missing for several days before the attack.

PEOPLE reached out to the superintendent of Dhar Police for comment on Sunday, Sept. 28, but did not receive an immediate response.