Delhi: Vagrant held for killing 2-yr-old boy who went missing from Khajuri Khas

A man was arrested for allegedly murdering a two-year-old boy near a CRPF camp in northeast Delhi’s Khajuri Khas area, an official said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Shaka (40), a vagabond, was arrested on Sunday.

Police said the child had gone missing from the Khajuri Chowk area on October 3, after which his parents lodged a missing complaint at the local police station. A case of kidnapping was registered and multiple teams were formed to trace the child.

During investigation, the police recovered the boy’s body from a wooded area near the boundary wall of a CRPF camp in Khajuri Khas on October 4, a senior officer said, adding that forensic teams were called in to collect evidence from the spot.

Following the recovery, the police examined CCTV footage from the vicinity, questioned locals, and checked nearby shelters and wooded patches often frequented by vagabonds. The team conducted several raids at possible hideouts in Delhi and adjoining areas before finally apprehending the suspect, the officer said.

During interrogation, Shaka confessed to the crime. He told investigators that he had an argument with the parents of the deceased child on the night of the incident, after which he abducted the toddler and murdered him, the officer added.

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Police said preliminary inquiry revealed that the accused lived in the vicinity and was known to loiter in the area. He was found to be previously involved in a theft case.

“The accused has been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway to determine the sequence of events leading to the murder,” the officer added.