BENGALURU: A 10-year-old boy was kidnapped for ransom and was murdered by a CCTV mechanic in Hebbagodi, on the outskirts of the city.
The Hebbagodi police have arrested two accomplices of the kingpin and have intensified the search for him.
Investigations revealed that Mohammed Javed Sheikh had kidnapped another boy on the same day but had freed him after he resisted.
Mohammed Asif Alam, son of MD Abbas, a resident of Gollahalli Road in Shikaripalya in Jigani and a mason by profession, was abducted while he was playing outside his house on Friday (June 4) evening. The abductors had made a ransom call to his father at around 10 pm and demanded a ransom of Rs. 25 lakh, warning him to kill his son if he contacted the police.
However, Abbas immediately rushed to the Hebbagodi police station and filed a kidnap for ransom case. The police swung into action and traced the ransom call to Raipur in Chattisgarh. A team left for Raipur immediately and arrested Mohammed Noushad and Siraj, who happened to be distant relatives of the kingpin - Mohammed Javed Shaikh.
"Shaikh hailed from Bihar and had moved to the city about three years ago and was working as a CCTV mechanic. He was living in the same building as the victim. On the day of the incident, he even joined the father of the victim and the police to search for the boy to avoid suspicion. However, as Abbas informed the police about the kidnap despite the warning, it is suspected that fearing arrest, Shaikh murdered the boy, and escaped," the police said.
The murder came to light on Saturday when the 13-year-old son of the building owner informed his father that he was also kidnapped, only after knowing about Alam's kidnap. "The boy revealed that Shaikh had kidnapped him on Friday afternoon on his bike. Though the boy was not interested, Shaikh had pestered him that he will teach how to play video games and had tried to illegally detain him in an abandoned shed in a private layout. As the boy resisted him after being threatened at knifepoint, Shaikh released him threatening him not to reveal the incident to anyone. Hence, the boy was scared and had not informed anyone," the police said.
With the help of the boy, the police reached the shed which is about five kilometres from the victim’s house. "By the time we reached there, Alam was murdered bludgeoned to death. The accused had smashed his head with a boulder and had escaped. We have definite clues of his whereabouts and he will be nabbed soon," Additional SP of Bengaluru Rural District, Lakshmi Ganesh K, said.
Accused wanted money for wedding
Investigations further revealed that Shaikh's wedding with his girlfriend was scheduled to be held shortly. "Shaikh was in need of money as he had planned to settle with his girlfriend in Mumbai. Hence, he orchestrated the abduction to make a fast buck," the police added.