3 minors, a man held after body of 8-year-old recovered in Muzaffarnagar

Police here on Thursday held three minors and arrested a 19-year-old man for murder, a day after they recovered the body of an eight-year-old boy from a sugarcane field, officials said.

The incident took place in a village under the Bhora Kala police station area here.

Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kumar told reporters that the accused, identified as Ajay and three children, were found to be involved in the killing of the minor.

According to the SSP, the investigation revealed that the boy was lured to a jungle area on the pretext of being given biscuits. The accused allegedly attempted to sexually assault the child but failed due to resistance. Fearing exposure, they later strangled the boy to death, Kumar said.

A complaint was lodged after the boy went missing on January 6. His body was recovered from the sugarcane fields on January 7, following which the police launched an investigation and arrested the four accused, who later confessed to the crime, the officials said.

The incident triggered protests in the area after the body was found, with residents demanding strict action against those responsible, the police added.