Cops to use tech to trace boy, missing since 2020, believed to be buried under Delhi-Mumbai Expressway

A six-year-old boy missing since 2020 may have been buried beneath the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, as police investigations continue after the suspects confessed.

A six-year-old boy who went missing from Dausa in 2020 is now believed to have been buried beneath the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, according to police. Cops said the breakthrough came after two detained suspects revealed that the child’s body may be buried in pits dug earlier during the construction of the expressway.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is being used to locate the boy's remains. (Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times file photo)

Rajasthan Police officials have now brought in a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) machine to identify the precise location before carrying out further excavation, reported news agency PTI.

Station house officer (SHO) Zaheer Abbas Meo said the information provided by the detained individuals matched the areas where digging had previously taken place. He added that the GPR survey would help confirm whether human remains are present underground.

The child, Prince - also known as Tillu - disappeared on August 16, 2020, while playing in the courtyard of his home. Despite extensive searches by family members and locals, no trace of him was found at the time, as per a report by the NDTV.

In 2021, the family approached the court by filing a habeas corpus petition, which led to renewed investigation efforts. Over the years, the case changed hands multiple times, with several investigating officers being replaced before significant progress was made.

According to police findings, Prince was allegedly killed by his own uncle and aunt, Anil and Krishna, following a personal dispute. Cops claimed that the couple buried the child’s body near the expressway to conceal the crime. Both accused have been arrested and are currently in police custody till March 1 after allegedly confessing during questioning, stated the NDTV report.

Police teams have been digging near the suspected burial site for several days. The GPR machine reportedly detected signals about nine metres underground, though the body has not yet been recovered despite excavation reaching a depth of nearly 15 feet.

Prince’s father, Jagmohan Bairwa, who works abroad, returned to India on February 21 after learning about the renewed search. He said he only wants closure and justice, regardless of the outcome, the report noted.

Family members said the accused had even participated in search efforts after the child went missing, which delayed suspicion. Prince’s siblings recalled fond memories, struggling to come to terms with the alleged betrayal.

Investigations and excavation efforts are ongoing.

(With PTI inputs)