New Delhi: A nine-year-old Delhi boy was kidnapped and murdered allegedly by a distant relative in neighbouring Meerut after his father refused to pay a ransom of Rs 40,000, police said on Tuesday.
Chetan, a Class IV student, was kidnapped from outside his house in east Delhi`s Kalyanpuri on January two while he was playing and murdered a week later in Meerut allegedly by Deviram (24), who was arrested.
The victim`s father Banwari Lal had on January five received a ransom call of Rs 40,000 from a "woman" who asked him to come to Nauchandi ground in Meerut four days later.
"Initially, the caller asked him to come to Anand Vihar ISBT where he was told over phone to go to Meerut. When he reached Meerut, he received a call asking him to leave the bag containing the money in the ground.
"Lal refused to do so and demanded that his son be set free first. He returned home without paying," a senior police official said.
The body of the boy was recovered yesterday from Meerut following which Deviram was arrested. Though a kidnapping case was registered on January three, the official claimed, Lal had allegedly not informed police about the ransom call and his going to Meerut.
During interrogaton, the official claimed, Deviram told police that he murdered the boy on January nine itself and that he committed the crime for money. "He was in need of money," the official said.
A case has been registered and further investigations are on.
PTI
