Seven-year-old abducted by relative in debt; killed when he shouted for help

It couldn't have been more ironic than this. On Sunday evening, the auspicious day of Ahoi Ashtami, seven-year Sonu's mother had planned to visit the local temple to pray for her son's long life. She had been fasting for him and had asked the boy to wait outside their house at Krishna Nagar in east Delhi while she finished some last-minute chores.

Unfortunately, that was the last time she saw her son alive. Sonu alias Gulshan Jain, a student of Class I, was kidnapped from outside his home by a relative. Later, Sonu's body was found in a car as the kidnapper was trying to escape.

After hours of hectic search, around 7.30 pm Sonu's father Mahender Jain, who owns a garment business, lodged a missing person complaint with the police. Later, the police registered a case of kidnapping at the Krishna Nagar police station.

Around 2.30 am, the Delhi Police received a message from Faridabad that while checking vehicles they had come across a Lancer car carrying the body of a child. The boy was identified as Sonu and the driver, 37-year-old Pradeep Goyal, a close relative of the victim, was arrested.

"The post-mortem report of the child is awaited and the Faridabad police are investigating the case. We will take the custody of the accused once the police of the neighbouring state finish their investigation," said a senior Delhi cop, wishing anonymity.

During interrogation, Goyal told the Faridabad cops he had lost money in his business and had kidnapped the child to make up for it. He revealed he had demanded Rs 20 lakh from the boy's father.

"Goyal knew the victim's family and had taken financial help from them. When he spotted Sonu outside his home, he took him for a ride on his bike. Once out of the neighbourhood, he forced the boy into a Lancer car.

He then drove off towards Faridabad," said Sadhuram, SHO, Sarai police station in Faridabad.

The Faridabad cops said by the time Goyal made the ransom call; Sonu had tried to free himself. Unable to do so, he began crying and shouting for help. Sensing danger, Goyal drove to the Mathura Road-NHPC Chowk and killed the child. "He stuffed a cloth into the boy's mouth and strangled him. Goyal then tried to dump the body," said Sadhuram.

Reportedly, a police patrol team found the Lancer car with its cabin light on. "As soon as the cops approached the car, the driver switched off the light and tried to drive away. We surrounded him and found the body inside.
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Goyal claimed he did not want to hurt the boy just shut him up. But we doubt it," said an officer from Faridabad police.