Two minors have been apprehended for allegedly killing a 10-year-old boy whose body was recovered from a mosque in north-east Delhi’s Khajuri Khas, the police said on Saturday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East) Ved Prakash Surya said that one Shamim, a resident of Shri Ram Colony, lodged a missing report of his son at Khajuri Khas police station on Friday. He told the police that the boy was missing since the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. Shamim said that on Thursday around 6.50 p.m., his son went to Madina Masjid of Shri Ram Colony, but did not return.
Body was found buried
During investigation, a joint search was conducted by the police and the parents of child in the nearby areas of their house. The boy’s body was found buried under the debris in a corner on the second floor of the Madina Masjid. Shamim identified him as his son, the police said.
The police analysed CCTV footage of the area and all persons present at the masjid at 7.15 p.m. were examined. It was found that the victim was last seen with his two minor friends.
“Both the juveniles were examined separately and contradictions were found in their versions. Later, they confessed to killing their friend and were apprehended,” Mr .Surya said.
During interrogation, the accused allegedly told the police they wanted to extort money from the deceased’s father by kidnapping him.
Earlier, a few ago, the accused had given the victim water infused with sleeping pills. However, nothing happened to him and their plan flopped. On Friday, the 17-year-old boy gave money to the other accused and asked him to bring momos from a nearby vendor. On the pretext of eating momos, they took the victim to the first floor of the masjid where they enjoyed the snack and thereafter, took the deceased to the roof of the mosque and strangulated him before hiding his body under the debris.
Decomposed body
In another incident, a decomposed body of a woman was found in a drain in east Delhi’s New Ashok Nagar on Friday. The deceased seems to around 25 to 30 years old. No physical injuries are apparent. Teams are looking to identify the body, the police said.
