Man gets death penalty for kidnapping, murdering 9-year-old boy in Telangana

Hyderabad: A court in Mahabubabad district on Friday sentenced a 22-year-old man to death for kidnapping a nine-year-old boy for ransom and murdering him in October 2020.

The district sessions court judge found M Sagar, an automobile mechanic, guilty under relevant IPC sections and awarded him capital punishment.

According to prosecution, the accused, who was known to the victim's father (a journalist), to make some quick bucks abducted the minor in Mahabubabad town on October 18, 2020.

The accused then took the boy on his bike to a hillock in Annaram village and strangled him to death after giving him sleeping pills fearing that the boy might reveal his identity.

Later, the accused called the boy's parents from his cell phone and demanded Rs 45 lakh as ransom to release their son.

The accused burnt the boy's body to destroy the evidence of murder.

After learning that the boy's father had purchased a property, the accused had hatched a plan to make easy money and committed the crime, police said.

Background of the case

Four days after nine-year-old was kidnapped, his burnt body was found early on Thursday morning around five km from his house at Thallapusalapally Gutta near Kesamudram.

The police arrested Manda Sagar at around 3 am, along with two others. Sagar has confessed to killing the boy by dousing him in petrol and setting him afire.

Nine-year-old was the son of journalist Kusuma Ranjith Reddy and Vasantha - residents of Krishna Colony in Mahabubabad town. The child went missing on October 18 and the very same day the parents received a call demanding a ransom of Rs 45 lakh.

The accused Sagar made made 14 internet phone calls to Vasantha, to avoid being traced.

Superintendent of Police (SP) N Koti Reddy formed several teams, comprising Task Force and CCS personnel to trace the kidnapper. But they could not trace the accused in the CCTV cameras.

The police interrogated 24 suspects but failed to get any leads. When the kidnapper called the parents again, they agreed to pay Rs 45 lakh in cash. Still no one showed up to take the money.

Internet calls helped to trace Sagar

Police were able to trace the internet IP and call details and that's the way they nabbed Sagar. SP Koti Reddy said, "Sagar was a resident of Shanigapuram village. The boy’s father is also a native of the village and would frequently visit his grandmother's house. Sagar was close to the boy’s family and knew their financial background too. He conducted a recce, made a mental note of all CCTV cameras and cell phone towers in the town. He planned the kidnap on the two-wheeler so that he could not be traced. The intention was to make quick money. "

Inputs from PTI