Ludhiana: 4-year-old sodomised, killed; neighbour held

The accused and victim lived in the same vehra (migrant workers’ colony). Inspector Amarjit Singh, SHO of the local police station, said the accused, a native of Uttar Pradesh, had had an argument with the boy’s mother a few days ago. “She was ferrying water when the accused blocked her way and she had told him to stand aside, which had led to an argument. He is an alcoholic and was drunk when he committed the crime. He was trying to leave the city when arrested,” he added.

On Wednesday afternoon, the boy was playing near the accused’s room when the man allegedly pulled him inside, police said. When the boy’s parents noticed he was missing, they started searching for him. At around 8 pm, they noticed that the room of the accused was locked. The door was broken open and the boy’s body was found inside in a pool of blood. Police also recovered a saw blade which was allegedly used to slit his throat.

Police said the accused allegedly strangled the child with a leather belt and then slit his throat. He is suspected to have been drunk at the time and had allegedly even consumed liquor after the murder.

An FIR against the accused was registered under sections 302 (murder), 377 (unnatural offences) of IPC and section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act at the local police station on the basis of a complaint filed by the victim’s father.