BHUBANESWAR: A day after the brutal murder of a 14-year-old boy in Jatni, police on Thursday detained a 16-year-old Plus Two first-year student for the sensational crime. A kitchen knife, allegedly the murder weapon, was also seized from his house.
The juvenile offender is reported to have used it to stab the victim, Subham Swarup, at least 10-11 times on his neck and chest. While the nature of the crime and the lack of remorse have not only come as a shocker, police investigation suggests the accused had pre-planned the murder.
On Wednesday, the 16-year-old returned to his maternal grandmother’s house from college, changed his uniform and went to the victim’s house in plain clothes. As per CCTV footage collected by police, he sneaked into the victim’s house in the Benapanjari area under Jatni police limits and hid in their parking place, police sources said.
He then entered the ground floor of Subham’s house and stabbed him while he was studying. As the victim’s family members came running on hearing his screams, the accused fled, leaving behind his college bag and slippers. He was supposed to appear for his half-yearly examinations on Thursday.
Sources privy to the investigation said the juvenile accused used to watch videos on his mother’s mobile phone on counterattacks carried out by the Armed forces to kill a person very quickly. He too apparently wanted to join the Army.
“He even asked investigators if he would be able to join the Army after the incident. He seemed concerned that the case against him would hamper his ambition to join the Armed forces in future,” said the sources.
During interrogation, the juvenile in conflict with the law told investigators that he took revenge on the boy for the humiliation meted out for not being able to pay for the tuition fees to the victim’s parents who are teachers. His claims are being verified.
The accused studies science in a government college in Delang and stays at his maternal grandmother’s house in Jatni’s Bachhara area. His father passed away a few years back. Meanwhile, the victim’s parents have rejected the claims that the accused killed their son over pending tuition fees. People in the locality too doubt his claims.