Daltonganj: More than a month after a 16-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped and murdered over a mobile phone in Latehar district, police detained a juvenile and arrested two others on Monday night.The victim, identified as Chhotu, was from Belwatara village. The accused were identified as Premchand Bhuiyan, 19, Shivam Bhuiyan, 20, and a 17-year-old boy. All three are residents of the same village.Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav said preliminary investigation revealed that one of the accused knew the victim and had allegedly taken offence when Chhotu refused to hand over his mobile phone.“On Aug 15, the three accused allegedly took him to Bansi Nullah in the Kumandi area, strangled him and dumped his body in the adjoining forest,” the SP said.Chhotu’s father, Krishna Prasad, was unaware of his son’s fate and believed that he had gone away and would return. He lodged a missing person’s report at Manika police station on Aug 22.According to the SP, technical surveillance of the victim’s mobile phone proved crucial in solving the case, which had no eyewitnesses. The accused had allegedly sold the phone to a man for Rs 3,200. Information provided by the buyer led police to the three suspects.Based on their alleged disclosures during interrogation, police recovered skeletal remains and the victim’s school uniform from the crime scene.The 17-year-old accused was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Tuesday, while Premchand and Shivam were remanded in judicial custody.
