COIMBATORE: A case of kidnap-cum-murder of a 13-year-old boy on Thursday has turned the heat on Krishnagiri police. Though the accused duo was arrested late in the evening, the issue refused to die down with the relatives and neighbours of the deceased pointing fingers at police for the 'delay' and the leader of the Opposition, Edappadi Palaniswami, kicking up the dust.
The victim — S Rohith, son of Sivaraj, a construction worker and Manjula from Mavanatty village in Anjetty taluk near Hosur — was found dead with injuries all over his body on Thursday morning. After the boy, who went to play cricket on Wednesday evening, did not return home till late in the night, the parents, after a futile search, lodged a missing complaint at Anjetty police station, around 8 pm.
On Thursday morning, over 100 people blocked the road near the Anjetty bus stop, alleging inaction by police in tracing the whereabouts of the missing boy. Meanwhile, police, scrutinising CCTV footage, found that the victim was abducted in a car. On further inquiry, police received information about a boy's body in a gorge, Thirumodukku keelpallam, along Denkanikottai Road.
Accusing the police of not preventing the murder despite lodging a complaint and revealing suspects, the outraged family and relatives disallowed them from sending the body to the hospital for a post-mortem. They also continued with the road blockade till 4.30 pm, seeking the arrest of the assailants and action against erring cops. After the district Superintendent of Police, P Thangadurai, assured action, they allowed the body to be sent for a post-mortem at Krishnagiri Government Hospital.
Later in the day, police nabbed P Madhevan, 21 and his friend M Madheva in connection with the murder. Inquiries revealed that Madhevan conspired with his friend after Rohith saw him being intimate with his girlfriend and was afraid that the boy might inform others.
The duo took the boy in their car and forced him to consume liquor while on the move. As the boy lost consciousness, the duo ruthlessly threw him into a 50-foot-deep gorge from the Denkanikottai Road. Police seized the car used for kidnapping and are further investigating.