Agra village tense after teenager killed for ‘plucking watermelons’

The field was leased by the boy’s family to their partners, who allegedly attacked him with knives, resulting in his death, they said.

Two persons have been arrested after a 13-year-old boy was killed in Agra for allegedly plucking watermelons from a field owned by his family, police said on Saturday, adding that the incident led to tension in the area.

The incident took place in Randhirpura village of Agra under Basai Jagner police station limits on Friday and prompted deployment of police personnel from several stations due to the charged atmosphere in the area. (For representation only)

The field was leased by the boy’s family to their partners, who allegedly attacked him with knives, resulting in his death, they said.

The incident took place in Randhirpura village of Agra under Basai Jagner police station limits on Friday and prompted deployment of police personnel from several stations due to the charged atmosphere in the area.

Two persons -- Riazuddin and Shirazuddin -- were arrested on Friday night in connection with the murder, after a case was registered on the complaint of the deceased boy’s father. The accused were engaged in farming work on the land owned by the victim’s family and were their partners, police said.

“Information was received about the murder of a 13-year-old boy whose body was lying in a farm area within Randhirpura village of Basai Jagner police station area of Agra on Friday evening. The body was sent for a post-mortem examination and forensic evidence was gathered,” said Aditya Singh, Deputy DCP, Agra, (West Rural).

The boy’s sister reached the farm and found the blood-stained body. A watermelon, a bag and a knife were found near the body. Angry villagers were not in a mood to allow the police to take the body away. The DCP reached the village and pacified the angry villagers, after which the body was sent for a post-mortem examination late on Friday. Input from PTI