Hours after finding the half-burnt body of 13-year-old Nishchith A., who was kidnapped for ransom, in the Bannerghatta forest in Bengaluru on July 31 evening, police shot at two alleged kidnapper-killers in their legs. The duo was arrested in the same forest.
The arrested persons are Shivaprakash, 25, a resident off Bannerghatta Road, who was reportedly working as a driver earlier and is known to the boy and his parents, and Gopi, 27.
The duo were allegedly hiding in the Bannerghatta forest, near Bilvaradahalli, where the boy’s body was found. When police went to apprehend them, they allegedly tried to attack police officials with a knife and a dagger, and tried to flee. While Shivaprakash was shot in both his legs, Gopi was shot in his right leg before they could be arrested. Both the accused are being treated at Victoria Hospital.
The accused are believed to have confessed to the crime.
Shivaprakash first befriended the boy’s mother and through her got to know the victim as well. Learning about the family background, he abducted the boy and sent a message on WhatsApp to his mother demanding ₹5 Lakh as ransom to release the boy. However, since the boy knew him, he allegedly panicked fearing that the boy would identify him if he was released, and slit his throat with a dagger. Then, he tried to destroy evidence by burning the body.
