Bengaluru, August 1, KNT: In a heart-wrenching incident that has shocked the city, the charred body of a 13-year-old boy was recovered from a deserted location on Thursday evening, a day after he was kidnapped while returning home from tuition.
The deceased, Nishchith, a Class 8 student at Christ School, had gone for tuition in Shantiniketan Layout, Arakere, on Wednesday. As per the FIR, he left the tuition centre around 7:30 p.m. but failed to return home. His father, an assistant professor at a reputed private college, grew concerned and lodged a missing person complaint at the Hulimavu Police Station. His bicycle was later found abandoned near Promili Park.
Later that night, the family received a ransom call demanding ₹5 lakh for the boy’s release. Despite their willingness to pay and police efforts to trace the caller, the boy’s charred body was discovered the next evening along Kaggalipura Road. His clothes and footwear were mostly burnt, indicating he was likely murdered and then set ablaze.
Following intensive investigation, two men—Gurumurthy and Gopalakrishna—were intercepted by police near Kaggalipura Road late Thursday night within Bannerghatta police limits. The operation was led by Hulimavu Police Inspector Kumaraswamy and PSI Aravind Kumar.
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Police said the accused attacked officers with lethal weapons while resisting arrest. Despite warning shots fired in the air, they continued their assault, prompting police to open fire in self-defence. A total of six rounds were fired, injuring both suspects. They were taken to Jayanagar Government Hospital and are expected to be shifted to Victoria Hospital.
Preliminary findings suggest the kidnapping was planned for ransom, and the accused may have known the victim. Forensic and postmortem reports are awaited to confirm the exact cause of death.
The brutal murder has triggered public outrage in the city, with citizens demanding swift justice and enhanced safety measures for schoolchildren. Senior police officials assured that the investigation will be thorough and that all those involved will be brought to justice.
