After two days of searching, Updesh’s body was found on Thursday in a storeroom a few metres from his house. (Representational)

Two days after the body of a nine-year-old was found close to his house in Agra’s Dhaurra village, police on Saturday arrested a neighbour for the murder.

Police said Raghunath, the victim’s father, had on Tuesday filed a missing person’s complaint after his son Updesh had gone to the village market but did not return home for hours.

After two days of searching, Updesh’s body was found on Thursday in a storeroom a few metres from his house. Angry villagers gheraoed the police vehicle which tried to retrieve the body and heavy force had to be deployed to maintain law and order.

The family alleged that the local police did not investigate the case thoroughly which otherwise could have prevented his murder. Later, Agra SSP Babloo Kumar sent Ethmadullah SHO Saleem Khan to reserve lines for alleged dereliction of duty.

On Saturday, police arrested a neighbour, Wahid, for the murder. Two others are absconding. Wahid told police the three accused had planned to kidnap Updesh for a ransom. As they picked up the child, he made noise, and since his family knew the accused, they fearing getting caught and strangled the boy.