8-year-old killed, body dumped in Hyderabad's nala; police arrest transwoman

HYDERABAD: Police on Friday arrested a transwoman for allegedly murdering an eight-year-old boy from Allauddin Kote in Sanathnagar, after the child's body was found packed in a sack and dumped in a nala at Deendayal Nagar.
The Class 3 student, Abdul Waheed Khan, had gone missing on Thursday evening. He was the youngest of three siblings.
Based on the family's complaint, Balanagar police registered a case under Section 302 (murder) and 201 (screening of evidence) of the IPC and arrested Imran alias Fizah Jahan. While the motive of the murder is yet to be ascertained, police suspect that it could be a financial dispute as the accused runs an informal chit fund business in the area.
Victim’s father Wasim Khan, who sells clothes in Erragadda, is an investor. They ruled out the possibility of human sacrifice. “Every month, one investor can bid for the money collected through the chit. Last month, the victim’s father had bid for it and was supposed to get Rs 15 lakh from accused. It hasn’t been paid till date. Though the victim’s family says there has been no monetary disputes in the past, we are probing that angle as well,” said a Cyberabad police officer.
Given that the body had injury marks on the neck, police suspect the victim was first strangulated and then shoved into bucket before being packed in sack and thrown in the nala. His legs and arms were broken. “It is possible the accused resorted to such cruel means to fit him into the bucket,” the officer added.
Locals attacked accused’s house. They demanded the transwoman be given the severest punishment. The boy’s grandmother, Farzana Begum, sought strict action sharing how Fizah even joined the search party. “He (Abdul) came back after writing an exam at school 5.30pm and said he was going to masjid for evening prayers, as it’s Ramzan month. When he didn’t return we started looking for him,” she said.
Around 8pm, family, approached Sanathnagar police. “Since Waheed is a minor we first registered a kidnap case. Based on a lead by autorickshaw driver, we reached nala and found the body in gunny bag,” the cop said. “We have taken accused into custody. Investigation is on to unearth the motive,” said DCP T Srinivasa Rao.