Hyderabad boy kidnapped for ransom found murdered

A 15-year-old boy, who was kidnapped for ransom on Wednesday, was found murdered on Thursday, police said.

The body of Abhay Modani, a Class 10 student, was found in a TV package box near Alpha Hotel in Secunderabad, the twin city of Hyderabad. His hands were tied with a rope.

The boy was kidnapped from near his house in Shahinayatgunj area of Hyderabad on Wednesday evening.

His family members later received a phone call from the abductor, who demanded Rs.10 crore as ransom from Abhay's father Raj Kumar, who owns a scrap recycling company. The caller called again to demand Rs.5 crore.

Following a complaint by the boy's family, police traced the call to Secunderabad and launched a hunt for the suspects. The body was found by the roadside near Alpha Hotel on Thursday morning.

According to the family, Abhay had gone out on Wednesday evening to get idlis.

Footage recorded on surveillance cameras in the area shows Abhay riding pillion on a two-wheeler with a youngster, who appeared to be familiar to him.

Police is treating the youngster in the footage as the suspect. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Venkateshwara Rao has announced a reward of Rs.1 lakh for anyone giving information about him.

Police have formed 10 special teams to arrest those involved in the kidnap and murder. They suspect business rivals of the boy's father to be behind the crime.