A 13-year-old boy was found dead in the boot of a car that was involved in two collisions on its way out of Bengaluru’s Yelahanka. Police said the boy’s 35-year-old neighbour, Bhaskar Reddy, has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and murdering him.
Reddy allegedly lured the boy into the car by saying he was going to buy firecrackers for a Ganesh idol immersion outside his home in Vinayaka Nagar around 7.30 pm on Wednesday. The boy knew the accused and got into the vehicle without suspicion, police said.
Deputy police commissioner G K Mithun Kumar said Reddy took the boy to his home, where he allegedly strangled him. He then put the body in the car’s boot and drove towards Andhra Pradesh, apparently intending to dispose of it there.
The journey ended after the accused lost control of the car and struck an electric pole. About half an hour later, around 10.30pm, the vehicle collided with another car. “Around 7.30pm on Wednesday, the accused had picked up the boy in front of his house,” Kumar said.
The repeated collisions drew attention to the vehicle. Police checked it and found the boy’s body. A case was subsequently registered and Reddy was arrested.
Police said Reddy initially offered an alternative explanation during questioning, claiming the boy had suddenly come in front of the car and died after being hit. He allegedly told investigators that he was taking the body to Andhra Pradesh on the direction of a friend.
Investigators examined Reddy’s movements after the boy was taken away and the events leading to the killing.
