Raipur
In a shocking incident, a minor boy who had gone to see a Ganesh pandal in Raipur was murdered after being sexually assaulted. The body was found hidden in mud and bushes, 11 days after the crime, following complaints of a foul smell from locals. Police arrested three accused, including the main accused, on Sunday.
The case pertains to the Tilda Neora police station area. Police investigation revealed that the main accused feared the boy would expose the sexual assault and conspired with his two accomplices to kill him. They disposed of the body to cover up the crime.
According to a police report filed on 26 August, the minor’s father reported that his 14-year-old son had left home around 10 pm to see the Ganesh idol but did not return. The police registered a missing person report and launched a search operation.
Eleven days later, on 6 September, the boy’s body was found in bushes near the ‘Bada Talab’ in Gram Kota. Locals who noticed a foul smell informed the police. The police took the body for post-mortem.
The post-mortem report confirmed that the minor had been sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The police intensified their investigation, questioning locals and gathering information. The probe revealed that the boy was last seen with Vijay Dheeraj.
Police took Vijay Dheeraj (24) into custody for questioning. He confessed to sexually assaulting the boy. He admitted that he killed the boy with the help of two friends because he was afraid the boy would reveal the incident to everyone.
One of the accomplices is a minor, while the other has been identified as Kuldeep Banjare (22), a resident of Tilda. The police have registered a case against the accused under various sections, including murder and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The police said that both the victim’s and the accused’s families are involved in farming. The adult accused were presented in court and sent to judicial remand, while the minor accused was sent to a juvenile home.
