Auto driver arrested for killing 13-year-old

Malwani police officers on Saturday arrested a 23-year-old autorickshaw driver for kidnapping and murdering a 13-year-old at Madh in Malad. The accused, Karan Birbal

Malwani police officers on Saturday arrested a 23-year-old autorickshaw driver for kidnapping and murdering a 13-year-old at Madh in Malad. The accused, Karan Birbal Bahadur, a resident of Aarey Milk Colony, confessed to the crime and said he committed the murder as an act of revenge after the child’s mother obstructed him from constructing a boundary wall to prevent water from coming inside his house.

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Police officers said that on June 9 the accused took the child in his auto under the pretext of going out for a drive and took him to an isolated spot near Dharavali village at Madh in Malad, and smashed his head with a heavy stone. He then chopped off the boy’s head, said police officers.

“On Friday, we received information from a local about a headless body of a boy near Dharavali. A team of police officers found the head around two to three metres away from the body. The body was partially decomposed, making it hard to identify,” said deputy commissioner of police, zone 11, Vishal Thakur.

A photograph of the body was circulated to all police stations to check if there was any missing complaint registered, following which Aarey police responded. “The description in the missing complaint of the child including the clothes was similar to those found on the body, so we called his parents to identify the body,” said Thakur.

His parents informed the police about an argument with Bahadur earlier in the month, following which Bahadur was called for questioning, said Thakur.

“During questioning, Bahadur confessed to the crime,” said Thakur. A case of kidnapping and murder will now be registered at Aarey police station, and further probe will be conducted. “On Sunday, Aarey police officials will produce the accused before a court to get his custody,” said Thakur.