A man accused of kidnapping and murdering a five-year-old boy here on Friday night, allegedly to remove the child as an obstacle in his one-sided pursuit of the boy’s mother, was arrested after a midnight shootout with police on Friday night.
The accused, Shivam Saxena, a neighbour of the family in the Barra area, allegedly lured the child, Ayush Sonkar, on Friday afternoon by promising to buy him toys and chocolates. Police said he took the boy to a deserted spot nearly a kilometre from his house and strangled him to death.
When Ayush did not return, his mother filed a missing person complaint at the Barra police station. Police reviewed CCTV footage showing Saxena taking the child away and returning alone. Soon after, the boy’s body was recovered from the Pandu River.
According to police, Saxena allegedly confessed that he had an illicit interest in the boy’s mother and believed the child was coming in the way of his plan to take her to Chandigarh.
“The accused, Shivam, killed the innocent child. His motive was that he had his eyes on the child’s mother,” said DCP South DN Chaudhary. Police later received information that Saxena was attempting to flee to Chandigarh. When a team tried to intercept him near Fategarh crossing, he allegedly opened fire. Police retaliated, and a bullet hit Saxena in the leg.
{{/usCountry}}“The accused, Shivam, killed the innocent child. His motive was that he had his eyes on the child’s mother,” said DCP South DN Chaudhary. Police later received information that Saxena was attempting to flee to Chandigarh. When a team tried to intercept him near Fategarh crossing, he allegedly opened fire. Police retaliated, and a bullet hit Saxena in the leg.
{{/usCountry}}He was taken to a hospital for treatment and later arrested. Police said a detailed investigation into the case is ongoing.