A Class 8 student was allegedly kidnapped and brutally murdered by unknown assailants, with his severely mutilated and burnt body discovered on the outskirts of Bengaluru Thursday night.
The Bengaluru police said the 13-year-old victim — identified as the son of an Arekere resident who works as a lecturer — left home on his bicycle at 5 pm on July 30 to attend tuition classes. When he failed to return by 8 pm, his parents contacted the tuition teacher, who told them that the boy left at 7.30 pm.
A desperate search by the family led to the discovery of the victim’s abandoned bicycle at a park in Shantiniketan Layout, Arikere, under the jurisdiction of the Hulimavu Police Station. After exhausting inquiries with relatives and friends, the parents filed a missing person complaint at 10.30 pm.
Police sources confirmed that the family received ransom calls from the kidnappers, though specific details remain confidential due to the ongoing investigation. A police officer said his parents received a ransom call, and were warned not to inform the police.
The police suspect the accused killed the child after they found out that the parents had approached them.
The Hulimavu police initially registered the case under Section 137 (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case has now been transferred to the Bannerghatta police for further investigation.