Youth held for murdering boy for phone

The Ambur Town police have arrested a 20-year-old youth, Vignesh, for reportedly murdering an eight-year-old boy for a mobile phone.

According to the police, Kishorekumar, a resident of Alagapuri near Ambur, went missing on April 5.

He usually went to watch boys playing ‘kabadi’ in a nearby locality. When he had gone to watch a game on April 5, one of the youngsters, Naveen, gave him his cell phone while playing.

Kishore had gone home with the mobile phone when his mother told him to return it to Naveen, the police said.

Kishore was on his way to return the phone when Vignesh, a resident of the same area, spotted him.

On seeing the phone, he took it from him and refused to give it back. Kishore followed Vignesh asking him to give the phone back.

When they neared a well in the locality, Vignesh reportedly pushed the boy into it.

Police said Vignesh sold the phone for ₹2,000 to another friend. Kishore’s parents launched a search for him, and lodged a complaint at the Ambur Town police station on April 6. They found his body floating in the well on April 8.

Further investigations were on, the police said. Based on suspicion, they inquired with Vignesh, who confessed to the crime. He was arrested on Tuesday.