NEW DELHI: A 15-year-old boy has been apprehended on Sunday for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a four-year-old boy in Central Delhi’s Anand Parbat area, a police offical said.
“The incident reportedly took place after the teenager, aggrieved by a family dispute, lured the child to a forested area of Ramjas Park and pushed him off a 30-foot cliff. The boy was then allegedly struck with a stone, leaving him gravely injured,” the offcial added.
“A complaint was received on September 17 after the child went missing while playing near his home following tuition classes around 6:30 pm. Despite a search, the boy could not be located. CCTV footage later showed the missing child with the 15-year-old, who was identified by the mother as a neighbor,” a police official said.
Investigators revealed that both families reside in the same rented premises and operate shops there. The families have a history of previous quarrels, police said. The teenager, a school dropout who had studied up to Class 10, told authorities that he acted in revenge after being scolded and physically punished by his father. The punishment came after he took the house owner’s motorcycle without permission and abandoned it in another area. The child’s mother had informed the landlord about the incident, which triggered the confrontation.
“On the day of the incident, he had taken the house owner’s motorcycle and abandoned it in another locality. On learning this, his father scolded and beat him up. Angered, he lured the four-year-old to Ramjas Park and pushed him off the cliff,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Nidhin Valsan said.
Following the teenager’s confession, the police rescued the injured child and admitted him to a hospital. However, the boy succumbed to his injuries on Saturday evening. The police have since added murder charges to the FIR.
The accused has also been charged under Sections 137(2) and 109(1) of the BNS for kidnapping and attempted murder. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case, including the motive and the teenager’s background.