Man kills 7-year-old boy over grudge against parents

NEW DELHI:The body of a seven-year-old boy, who had gone missing on January 7, was found in a suitcase hidden inside a home of a neighbour. The accused identified as Avadhesh Sakya (27), an IAS aspirant and a distant relative of the boy, has been arrested in this connection, said a police official said.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 13

The body of a seven-year-old boy, who had gone missing on January 7, was found in a suitcase hidden inside a home of a neighbour. The accused identified as Avadhesh Sakya (27), an IAS aspirant and a distant relative of the boy, has been arrested in this connection, said a police official said.

He allegedly killed the boy, Ashish, over a grudge against his parents, said the official.

“Sakya had been planning to make a ransom call to the boy’s parents,” the official said.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Aslam Khan, Sakya had stayed with Ashish’s family for eight years in their home in Swaroop, but had recently shifted to another house in the neighbourhood. He kept visiting the family.

Sakya was allegedly annoyed with Ashish’s parents as they objected to his habit of partying. He also did not like it when the parents allegedly refused to send Ashish to meet him. The boy was a Class I student, the official said.

On January 7, Sakya allegedly lured the boy into his house by promising to give him a cycle. The police said he allegedly smothered the boy on the same day but did not try to dispose of the body as CCTV cameras were installed in the street. Instead, he allegedly kept the body in a suitcase, placed it in his bed box, a senior police officer said.

He killed a few rats at home to explain the stench to the neighbours, the official added.

DCP Khan said Sakya had confidently accompanied Ashish’s family when they visited the Swaroop Nagar Police Station to register a missing complaint later that day.

Ashish’s parents began suspecting Sakya after he stopped visiting them in the past few days even though he had been meeting them frequently before. The family informed the police about their suspicion after which he was questioned again.

The accused was changing his statement repeatedly. Finally, he broke down and confessed to his crime, according to an investigation officer.

The accused had told in his neighbourhood that he worked for the CBI to influence people.

A case has been registered at the Swaroop Nagar Police Station.