Ranchi: A man allegedly beat his five-year-old son to death in a drunken state and dumped the body in a well at Sanga Sarna Toli village under Pithoria police station, about 22km from the city, on Sunday night.

"The man, a brick kiln wor-ker and a habitual drinker, often used to beat up his son Ashish Gope from his second wife. Last night, he did the sa-me. After his son died, he threw his body into a well," a local resident said.

Officer-in-charge of Pithoria police station Sohan Lal said it was difficult to give any conclusive statement.

"The matter is under investigation. We came to know about the incident through villagers. We have recovered the body from the well and sent it for post-mortem at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). The report is yet to come," Lal added.

On whether there was any ante mortem injury on the body, he said the deceased had a wound on his left eye.

"We have detained the man and his wife for interrogation. A conclusive statement can be given only when something concrete emerges out of the investigation," the OC said, refusing to give out the names of the parents.

"So far, we have come to know that the man had married twice. His first wife, with whom he has a son, is dead. The deceased was the son of his second wife. The probe is on," he said.

He said the name of the father would be disclosed only when his involvement in the crime was ascertained.