Youths abduct minor boy for ransom in Chitrakoot; kill him

Three youths in Chitrakoot district abducted a 16-year-old boy for ransom but later murdered him out of fear. Three of the accused have been apprehended, while the fourth remains at large. The motive behind the crime was to purchase an SUV with the ransom money. The victim's body has been recovered and sent for postmortem. The search for the fourth accused is ongoing.

In a shocking incident, three youths resorted to abduction for ransom but later murdered the 16-year-old boy out of fear of being caught. The crime, which unfolded on Monday in Raipura area of Chitrakoot district, also involved a minor accomplice.

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While three of the accused, identified as Vinay Patel, 18, Prince Patel, 19, and the minor, have been apprehended, the fourth remains at large.

SP Chitrakoot AK Singh revealed the perpetrators’ motive: to purchase an SUV with the ransom money.

The victim, Sudhanshu, a seventh-grade student, was reported missing by his mother, Manju Devi, who received ransom demands of ₹50 lakh. Despite Sudhanshu’s disappearance on Saturday, the family initially believed he would return, as he had done in the past. However, the kidnappers’ failure to make a third call to arrange the ransom exchange heightened suspicions.

Police swiftly launched investigations, eventually tracing the call to Daddu Patel, whose stolen SIM card was used by the culprits. Through telephonic evidence, Vinay Patel was identified as the mastermind. During interrogation, he confessed to targeting Sudhanshu due to his father’s earnings.

Despite the swift resolution of the case, with the body recovered and sent for postmortem, the search for the fourth accused continues, with a reward offered for assistance.