Boy beaten to death for theft

The incident came to light only after Dattu8217;s death yesterday when his parents approached the police and lodged a complaint. Both Balasaheb and Maruti were arrested on the basis of the complaint late last night.

Police said Sandire8217;s M 80 moped was stolen from a marriage hall in Narhe-Ambegaon village in Haveli taluka, where the two landlords were attending a wedding, on June 10. They suspected Dattu8217;s involvement in the vehicle theft as the teenaged boy had returned the moped to them the next day.

Enraged, the two landlords barged into Dattu8217;s house and thrashed him viciously. Dattu8217;s attempts to convince them that he had lifted their moped out of the misunderstanding that it belonged to the uncle of one of his friends failed, police said.

The duo had whisked away Dattu in their Maruti car under the pretext of meeting his friend who they suspected was also involved in the vehicle theft.