A Jalalabad man on Tuesday killed his seven-month-old son after divorcing his wife, Nangarhar officials said on Wednesday.

Nangarhar police said the man has been arrested and is being held in custody. According to police the suspect has confessed to the crime. 

“When his wife was on her way to her father’s home, he (the husband) took his seven-month-old son out of the house and beheaded him,” said Jamil Totundaraee, security chief at Nangarhar Police Headquarters.

Dawa Jan, Amanullah’s father-in-law, said his son-in-law used a knife to behead the baby. 

“When I came home, I saw that he (the man) had beaten my daughter and there were signs (of this) on her body. He told me that I have divorced your daughter; take her from here. He took his son and beheaded him,” he said.

A number of witnesses, in the neighborhood, said Amanullah left his son’s body near his home and fled the scene.

“He [the man] beheaded his child and left him near a wall,” said Qari Ekhtiar, a witness.

The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in the province called the incident shocking and unforgivable.

“It is a shocking incident. We are all sad about it,” head of the commission’s office, Ghulam Hussain Bewas said.

The mother’s family has called on judicial organizations to ensure that justice is served.

The couple have another two children – girls - relatives said.