BARA: Police on Sunday made public four culprits including one female and revealed how they kidnapped and murdered a local businessman’s 9-year-old boy.

It has been learnt that businessman Lalan Prasad Kalwar’s son Ankit Gupta of Jitpur Simara Sub-Metropolis was kidnapped and later murdered by his relatives.

After an arduous investigation, police finally nabbed the culprits including the mastermind, Pradip Kumar Kalwar, who also is victim’s brother-in-law, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ranjit Singh Rathore informed.

The other arrestees were identified as Ram Prabesh Sah alias Sipahi, Parbati Devi of Parsa, and Suraj Giri of Joga Patti Thana in Bihar of India.

Following Kalwar’s plan, the accused had kidnapped Gupta from Jitpur Bazaar on June 5, 2018, and subsequently murdered the child upon receiving ransom on July 17, police investigation revealed.

The main accused Kalwar had fled to Bihar, India after his three accomplices were arrested by the police.

 Story Behind the Crime:

According to the police, the main accused, Pradip Kalwar and Ram Prabesh Sah were good friends. Sah who is a professional driver was lured into setting up the crime by Kalwar.

Following the agreement, Kalwar and Sah started monitoring Gupta and his activities in Jitpur Bazaar. And on June 5, when they deemed right, took Ankit from Jitpur Bazaar and rode in a motorcycle to Birgunj via Parsa.

“The kid must have agreed to ride along because he trusted his brother-in-law, Pradip,” DSP Rathore said.

After the kidnapping, Gupta was kept under the custody of Parbati Devi, Sah’s sister in law and Suraj Giri. A few days later, Giri and Devi called Gupta’s family seeking ransom.

The kidnappers took IRs 6.43 million in ransom in two installments in India, police quoting victim’s kin reported. It has been learnt that Giri was active in passing on threats and seeking ransom.

“The child was murdered because Pradip knew that he would be held for kidnapping as soon as the kid was released,” the DSP said.

During the investigation, Bara police seized a two-wheeler bearing an Indian registration plate (BR 22 J 4757) used during the crime, two rounds of eight mm bullet, and Rs 715,000 from the residence of Ram Prabesh Sah.

The accused were held following an investigation carried out by a team of investigators from District Police Office, Bara, Province 2 State Police and Indian Police.

Further investigation is underway as there might be other persons involved in the crime, police said.