Daltonganj: More than a month after a 16-year-old boy from Belwatara village under Manika block in Latehar district was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by three youths, including a minor, over a mobile phone on August 15, the accused minor has been detained and two others arrested on Monday night, police said.The deceased was identified as Chhotu while the accused were identified as Premchand Bhuiyan (19) and Shivam Bhuiyan (20) besides the 17-year-old accused, all from the same village, police added.Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav said, “Preliminary investigations revealed that one of the accused was known to the victim and allegedly took offence when the latter refused to part with the device. The three accused, on August 15, took him to Bansi Nullah in Kumandi area, where they allegedly strangled him and dumped the body in the adjoining forest.”“Unaware of his son’s fate, Chhotu’s father Krishna Prasad believed the boy had gone away and would return. He lodged a missing report at Manika police station only on August 22,” he further said.The Latehar SP stated, “Technical surveillance of the victim’s mobile phone proved crucial in cracking the case, which otherwise had no eyewitnesses. The accused had sold it to a man for Rs 3,200. Information provided by the buyer led the police to the three suspects. Skeletal remains and school uniform of the victim were recovered from the crime scene based on the revelations made by the three accused during interrogation.”The 17-year-old accused was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Tuesday, while Premchand and Shivam were sent to judicial custody.
