BERHAMPUR: A day after the body of a seven-year-old was found with his throat slit in a sack, Bissamcuttack police on Sunday said the boy’s uncle murdered him to avenge humiliation by his family members.
The accused, 27-year-old Chandan Gantayat of Hanuman Sahi in Chatikana, was arrested for allegedly killing his brother’s son Rushi Gantayat.
Addressing mediapersons, Rayagada SP S Swati Kumar said police launched an investigation following a complaint filed by Rushi’s father on Saturday morning. During probe, police came to know that Chandan was under severe financial distress as his sports shop had remained closed for nearly a year. He was also addicted to online gaming.
Investigation further revealed that the accused had recently transferred money from his mother’s bank account to his own without her consent, leading to a dispute within the family.
On Friday, Rushi’s father and other family members confronted him over the issue at UGB Bank in Chatikana, which led to a heated argument. The accused was reprimanded by family members. Feeling humiliated, he decided to kill his elder brother’s son, said the SP.
Police said Chandan purchased two sharp knives from a shop. On Friday evening, he lured his nephew on the pretext of buying snacks and took him to a shop at Station Bazaar. While returning home, he again lured the boy by saying that he would give him a bat and ball, which he claimed were kept inside a nearby under-construction house.
Once inside the building, the accused allegedly slit the boy’s throat with a knife, causing his death. After committing the crime, he placed the body inside a plastic rice bag in an attempt to conceal evidence. Further, to divert suspicion, Chandan also sent threatening WhatsApp messages to family members including Rushi’s father suggesting that the child was kidnapped.
Based on scientific evidence, police on Sunday morning arrested Chandan who reportedly confessed to the crime. The blood-stained knife used in the murder, clothes of the accused and the deceased, and other forensic exhibits were seized. Further investigation is underway, the SP added.