PATNA: Jehanabad police on Friday arrested a 46-year-old canteen guard of a residential school for the alleged murder of a five-year-old UKG student. Officials confirmed that the child was sexually assaulted before being killed.
Superintendent of police (SP) Aprajit Lohan said, “The accused, Mukesh Kumar alias Sudama, was arrested following a probe by a special investigation team (SIT). A post-mortem examination conducted by a three-member medical board at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) confirmed sexual assault.”
A day earlier, the principal, who is the prime accused, was arrested for attempting to conceal the incident and initially portraying it as an accident, the SP said.
According to police, the incident took place on the hostel premises on April 6. “A case of rape by a person in authority and murder along with other relevant sections under BNS has been registered. A case of sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has also been added,” said the SP.
Police said the accused, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, sexually assaulted the child and later killed him with a sharp-edged weapon to destroy evidence. He was identified after forensic teams recovered bloodstains and the suspected weapon from the premises.
“The forensic team found blood traces at multiple locations, including near the kitchen area, and recovered a sharp weapon from near a washroom window,” Lohan said, adding that CCTV footage showed the accused moving suspiciously inside the hostel on the night of the incident.
Divulging details, the SP said the accused was seen monitoring students after lights-out and lured the child away before committing the crime.
“During interrogation, the accused claimed he was under mental distress and intoxicated at the time of the crime. He said he had consumed alcohol in his room and later stepped out after hearing children’s laughter in the hostel. He also cited personal issues with his wife and alleged taunts by students as factors behind his behaviour,” the SP said.
Family members of the victim alleged that they were initially misled about the circumstances of the child’s condition. The victim’s grandfather said the child had joined the residential school on April 1, while his elder sibling was already studying there.
“We were informed by the school principal in the morning of April 6 that the child was unwell and taken to a nearby private hospital. When we reached the hospital, we found injuries on his body, which raised suspicion. On the advice of the doctors, we then took him to PMCH where he was declared dead,” the grandfather said.
The family alleged that the school authorities initially claimed the child had suffered a fall, leading them to suspect an attempt to hide the incident. They also said the child had been separated from his sibling on the night of the incident.
HT reached out to the staff members of the school but did not get any response till the time of going to print.
