A five-year-old boy, who was kidnapped and held to ransom on Sunday, was found strangulated in the Pashan area of Pune on Monday. The boy, Shubh Bhupendar Rawal, was the son of a scientist couple working with the Defence Research Devel-opment Organisation (DRDO), which has several laboratories in Pune.
The Chaturshrungi police arrested two teenagers in connection with the case, including a 15-year-old boy.
The boy had gone missing late on Sunday evening and his body was found in the early hours of Monday morning near the pumping station close to the Armament Research Development Establishm-ent (ARDE) boundary wall.
Parminder Swarnsingh, (19), one of the two accused, is a resident of DSSC quarters in the Ramnagar area of Pashan suburb and a first year hotel management student. He was also working part-time with a fast food chain in the city.
According to the police, Swarnsingh kidnapped the boy and used the ransom money to buy a two-wheeler, and was inspired after reading a similar news article.
“He got the idea last week and discussed it with his minor accomplice after which they zeroed in on Rawal as the potential victim. He was acquainted with his parents since they lived in the nearby colony and knew that they could afford to pay a hefty ransom. The minor boy earlier refused to be part of the plot but was lured into it after Swarnsingh offered him money,” said a police official.
He was kidnapped during the Ganeshotsav aarti organised in the colony. Rawal was playing with his friends in close proximity of his house when Swarnsingh offered Rawal a chocolate and lured him. Swarnsingh asked his minor accomplice to give his cellphone number to Rawal’s father.
The duo was finally arrested when the minor broke down in front of other locals, the police said.