8-yr-old boy murdered in Hyderabad, family suspect human sacrifice

Hyderabad, April 21: An eight-year-old boy was brutally murdered in Hyderabad in what his family has suspected to be a case of human sacrifice. But the police said they have no evidence of it. The body of Abdul Wahid was found in a drain in Moosapet early Friday.

The boy went missing on Thursday from his house in Allauddin Koti area of Sanath Nagar and his family had lodged a complaint with the police.

Police have arrested Imran, a transgender, and four others for the murder. The victim's family ransacked his house and claimed to have found indications of a human sacrifice.

However, the police said the boy was murdered over a financial dispute between Imran and the boy's father Waseem Khan, who runs a business of readymade garments

After the boy went missing on Thursday evening, his father had lodged a complaint with the police. Based on CCTV footage in the area, police arrested Imran, who confessed to killing the boy and throwing the body in a drain.

According to the victim's family, Imran had asked the boy to fetch ORS. When the boy, who was fasting, went to Imran's house to give the ORS packet, the latter caught hold of him.

The accused strangled him to death by forcibly dipping his head in the bucket filled with water. After confirming the child had died, Imran, with the help of an auto-rickshaw driver, stuffed the body in the water bucket and a bag and threw it in the drain.

The murder led to high tension in the area.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Srinivas Rao said dispute over financial matters led to the murder. He, however, said if the victim's family suspects it to be a case of human sacrifice, they will probe the case from that angle as well.

Minister for animal husbandry T. Srinivas Yadav visited the areas. He clarified that it was not a case of human sacrifice but assured the victim's family that culprits will not be spared. He said a fast track court will be constituted to ensure speedy trial and punishment.