The south district police on Saturday apprehended a 17-year-old boy, who had earlier escaped from the juvenile observation home. The accused is alleged to have been involved in arson cases in various areas of south and southwest district.
Police officials said that they had a specific input that the accused is a Sai Baba devotee and visits Sai Baba Temple once every week. “A police team was dispatched to the Lodhi Colony area where the accused was expected to visit a temple,” said the police. Officers added that the boy was held while coming out of the temple.
However, the accused showed no resistance while he was apprehended, said the police. Officers also added that the boy has been taken to the juvenile observation home after being produced in the Juvenile Justice Board.
The police added that the accused boy had fled the observation home along with 17 others. The police added that boy and other escapees were wanted in five arson-burglary cases.
On examination of the boy, it was found that he had so far been apprehended four times. During interrogation, the police said, the boy said while staying in the observation home he developed intimacy with the leader of the fire gang and both shared the modus operandi related to burglary incidents. They helped the other juveniles to escape from the home.