Purnia: A 12-year-old boy was brutally murdered by his friends in Purnia after a dispute over a chillum. Police said 7 minors have been taken into custody in connection with the crime.
The victim, identified as Sonu Kumar, went missing on August 30 from Navtoliya village in the Raghuvanshnagar police station area. His body was recovered on Thursday night from a pit in the village, following a police investigation.
According to police, Sonu had recently thrown away a chillum belonging to his friends, who were addicted to intoxicants including cannabis and smack. Enraged by this act, the group allegedly tied him to a tree, killed him, and buried the body near a canal. Two days later, the body was exhumed and buried again in a deeper pit, with urea and salt poured on top in an attempt to accelerate decomposition.
The incident sparked outrage in the village after reports emerged that some of the detained minors were briefly released. Villagers and family members blocked a road with the boy’s body, demanding action against the accused. The blockade was lifted only after assurances from local police officers that the culprits would be prosecuted.
Police officials confirmed that all 7 minors taken into custody were habitual drug users. The body has been sent for postmortem and further investigation is ongoing.
