Thirty-year- old man held for sodomy, murder of minor

Nagpur, Sep 7 (UNI) A Thirty-year-old man was arrested for alleged sodomy and brutal murder of a minor boy here today.

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Madhukar Pandey said Ankush Laxman Nikhare was nabbed in this connection from his residence in the wee hours this morning.

Nikhare had lured a 14-year old boy early last month with the promise of giving him a biscuit. He then took the boy to a secluded construction site, where he committed the heinous act, Mr Pandey said. Later, Nikhare stuffed the boy's mouth with small stones to stifle his breath, thereby killing him.

Nikhare, who worked as a rickshaw-puller at a trading firm, knew the boy's father, and was, therefore, able to lure the minor away, the DCP said. The suspect, whose wife left him six years ago, himself has a son and a daughter, Mr Pandey said.

The case was cracked after police came to know that Nikhare spoke of having committed a 'big mistake' after a drinking binge with a friend a few days after the incident, he said.

Nikhare, who was booked under sections 302 (murder) and 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code, was remanded to police custody till September 10, Pandey added.

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