A shocking crime has shaken a village in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, where an eight-year-old boy was allegedly strangled to death by four teenagers. The incident, which involved an attempted sexual assault, led to the arrest of all four accused, including three minors, by the local police.
The Tragic Disappearance and Discovery
The young victim, a Class II student, stepped out to play on a Tuesday evening near his home. When he did not return, his family grew worried and launched a search. His father initially looked around the neighbourhood before approaching the local police station. The search eventually extended to the village farms and outskirts.
The next day, the family's worst fears were confirmed. The boy's body was discovered in a sugarcane field. Preliminary investigation and injury marks on his neck indicated he had been strangled. Forensic experts were called to the scene to collect evidence, and the body was sent for a postmortem examination.
Police Investigation and Arrests
According to SSP Muzaffarnagar, Sanjay Kumar Verma, the police investigation moved swiftly. A crowd had gathered near where the child's body was found, and the police team noticed suspicious behaviour among some boys present. "They were standing among them, listening to our discussion," SSP Verma stated.
The accused, who are from the same village, were identified with help from locals. All four were apprehended on Thursday. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime. The SSP revealed that the teenagers had lured the child with biscuits and toffees. "They had ill intentions and tried to commit a wrongful act. When they failed, they realised that they would get caught. Fearing this, they killed him," Verma explained.
Legal Action and Community Shock
SHO Manedra Bhati confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the accused. The charges include murder under BNS section 103 and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Among the four arrested, one is an 18-year-old adult, while the other three are aged between 14 and 16 years. They are scheduled to be produced before a magistrate soon.
The child's father recounted the harrowing experience of finding his son. "My son was playing in the neighbourhood and went missing around 5 pm... to our shock, we noticed him in a cane field," he said. The brutal murder has sent waves of grief and anger through the local community, raising serious concerns about child safety in the region.
