A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of two boys in Sardhana town of Meerut district. Police said the accused, Mohd Asad, allegedly killed the children, aged 15 and 11, and attempted to dissolve one of the bodies using acid.
He was caught after a late-night police encounter on July 12 and is currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during the operation, according to police.
The case surfaced after 15-year-old Uvaish, a resident of Nawabgarhi, went missing on July 9. His father, Shakeel, filed a police complaint the next day. On July 11, Shakeel received a WhatsApp message from his son’s number, demanding a ransom of ₹5 lakh. The message also included a bank account number. Shakeel transferred ₹5,000, after which all communication stopped.
Police intensified the investigation and questioned locals, narrowing down on Asad, who lived 500 metres from the boy’s house. He was detained the same evening and, after sustained questioning, allegedly confessed to the crime.
Police later recovered Uvaish’s body from a pit at an under-construction house about 700 metres away. The body had been hidden under bricks. A search of Asad’s residence yielded hair, clothes, and slippers believed to belong to the victims. These have been sent for forensic examination.
During interrogation, Asad also allegedly admitted to killing another boy, 11-year-old Rehan, who went missing on April 11 from the same locality. Police said Asad lured Rehan and tried to sexually assault him. When the boy resisted, Asad allegedly strangled him with a rope. While the body has not yet been found, police recovered Rehan’s clothes and coins from the area.
SP (Rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra said Asad confessed to murdering the boys after they resisted his advances. An occult angle is also being investigated. Police have recovered the rope allegedly used in the murders and are questioning Asad’s family.
On July 12 night, Asad led the police to the sites where he had hidden evidence. According to officials, while retrieving a rope from a forested area, Asad allegedly pulled out a hidden firearm and opened fire. In retaliation, police shot him in both legs and arrested him.