Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 1 (HBTV): A 12-year-old boy who had gone for evening tuition was allegedly abducted and murdered near Bannerghatta on Thursday, police said.

The victim, identified as Nishchit, was a Class 7 student and the son of a college professor residing in the Shantiniketan block of the Arakere area.

According to Bengaluru Rural Superintendent of Police C.K. Baba, Nishchit was returning home from tuition when he was kidnapped by a group of unidentified men. Shortly after the abduction, his parents received a call from an unknown number demanding a ransom of INR 5 lakh for his safe release. The kidnappers also warned the family not to approach the police.

Despite the threat, the boy’s father filed a complaint at the Hulimavu police station in an effort to rescue his son. Acting swiftly, the police launched an investigation using CCTV footage and mobile location tracking to trace the suspects. A search operation was initiated while the boy’s family prepared the ransom amount to negotiate his release.

However, according to the police, the kidnappers learned that the family had contacted the authorities. In response, they allegedly tied the boy's hands, brutally assaulted him, and murdered him. They then poured a small amount of petrol on a roadside stone, set the body on fire, and fled the scene.

The police traced the suspects' mobile phones to a location on Kaggalipur Road in Bannerghatta, where they discovered the boy's partially burnt body in a deserted area. Initial findings suggest the boy died from a violent assault before being set on fire.

Electronic City DCP Narayan and Bengaluru Rural SP C.K. Baba visited the crime scene to inspect the spot, where clear signs of a brutal murder were observed.

The Hulimavu police have registered a case of kidnapping and murder and have intensified efforts to track down the culprits.

(ANI)