The body of the boy, with his throat slit, was found lying on the highway in Kasra village, roughly 20 kilometers from his home, on Wednesday morning. (Representational)
A 16-year-old boy was allegedly murdered by his partner for threatening to disclose the two were in a same-sex relationship in a village in the district of Mau in Uttar Pradesh. The body of the boy, with his throat slit, was found lying on the highway in Kasra village, roughly 20 kilometers from his home, on Wednesday morning.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mau Shiva Ji said, “Ratan Kumar Sonkar was in a same-sex relationship with the victim. The duo knew one another for a long time. The victim had got into the relationship a few years ago but refused to continue as he turned older. He also began demanding money from Sonkar to keep the affair a secret. Sonkar was disturbed over the constant demand for money and threats to disclose the secret.”
Mau added, “On Wednesday, Sonkar along with another friend Shiv Kumar Sahni, got the victim drunk. Sonkar, who works as an electrician, killed the boy with a knife and the duo drove and dumped the body in a secluded place on the highway. They also threw away the victim’s phone.”
The ASP said that the parents learnt about the incident only after seeing their missing son’s photograph on social media. “The boy’s body had been sent to the mortuary and a report of an unidentified body was registered. We had circulated photos and a notice about a missing person across all police stations as well as on social media. The boy’s parents came across the photos and informed the police. That led us to the boy’s phone number and his call records,” he said.
He added, “The boy’s parents were looking for their son after he did not return home on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, they rushed to the police station after seeing his photos on police pages and walls. After identifying his body, they handed over his mobile number and the names of his friends. The duo have been arrested.”