Bengaluru teen abducted and killed by neighbour seeking ransom to clear loan

A 13-year-old boy was allegedly abducted and murdered by his neighbour in northeast Bengaluru, with police saying the crime was planned to extract a ransom that would help the accused clear his family's debt.

The Chikkajala police have arrested Bhaskar Reddy, 28, in connection with the case. According to investigators, Reddy abducted the boy, his neighbour at Vinayakanagar in Yelahanka, and killed him near a construction site in Bagalur.

Reddy had returned from London a few months earlier after completing a master's degree and had taken up a job in the finance section of a private company in Whitefield, the police said.

A preliminary probe indicated that Reddy devised the abduction plan to demand money from the boy's family so that he could repay a loan burdening his household.

On the night of September 16, Reddy and a friend allegedly invited the boy to accompany them to buy firecrackers and offered him a chance to drive their car. The boy agreed and was taken to a site near Bagalur, where his hands and legs were tied.

The accused then wrapped the boy's head and body in bandages to make it appear that he had been beaten, and filmed a video in which the boy pleaded with his father to pay a ransom, failing which his abductors would kill him. The footage was to be sent to the family the following day, according to a senior police officer.

Despite the boy following their instructions and begging to be allowed to return home, the two allegedly struck his head with a tree branch and then smashed the back of his head with a hollow brick. Investigators described the killing as premeditated, saying Reddy feared the boy would identify him if released.

The body was placed in the boot of the car and the accused left the spot. Police said Reddy was under the influence of alcohol. On the way back, he hit several cars near Hunsmaranahalli, prompting passers-by to intercept the vehicle and detain him.

While questioning him, the passers-by checked the car and found the boy's body. Reddy claimed the boy had been in an accident and that he was driving him to a hospital, but the group alerted the police.

Further investigation revealed that Reddy intended to demand a ransom from the boy's parents to settle his debt. The Chikkajala police have registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to abduction and murder, and are searching for the second accused.