Pune: 3-year-old boy raped, murdered by minor neighbor
What's the story
In a shocking incident, a three-year-old boy was allegedly raped and murdered by a minor in Pune. The accused, who lived in the same neighborhood as the victim, has been detained. The police found the child's body stuffed inside a suitcase after he went missing while playing outside his home on Friday.
Crime details
Charges under BNS and POCSO Act
The police launched a search operation after the family reported the child's disappearance. The investigation led them to a house near the toddler's residence where his body was found. Initial probes suggest that the child was raped before being murdered, prompting charges under sections 103(1) and 238 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Accused caught
Accused tried to escape from Pune
The accused, a juvenile from Bihar, was nabbed outside Pune's railway station while he was trying to escape. According to a report by India Today, he confessed to luring the toddler with chocolates and later murdering him. The victim's mother had visited the accused's house in search of her son but was misled by him.
Second case
Separate incident in same day
On the same day, a separate incident shook Pune when a 65-year-old laborer allegedly raped and murdered a three-and-a-half-year-old girl in a nearby village. The elderly man, who has a criminal record, was arrested soon after. Police have promised quick action with plans to file a chargesheet within 15 days and conduct the trial in a fast-track court.