Protests in Bihar town as abducted boy found dead

Tension gripped Bihar's Ekangarsarai town after the body of an abducted 14-year-old boy was found in Jehanabad district, triggering protests on Wednesday, police said.

Ritik Raj, a class 8 student and son of rice mill owner Niranjan Sahu, was abducted for ransom on Sunday from Ekangarsarai in Nalanda district. He was found murdered in Jehanabad district late Tuesday night.

Kidnappers had demanded a ransom of Rs.50 lakh for his safe release on Monday, police said.

"After Ritik went missing and we failed to trace him, we filed a report with police," said a family member.

The boy's father received a call on his cell phone from the abductors, demanding Rs.50 lakh for his release. Police filed a kidnapping case for ransom.

As the boy's body reached Ekangarsarai on Tuesday night, hundreds of angry people blocked roads and demanded action against police over its failure to begin a search to trace the boy soon after the incident came to light.

Sensing trouble, additional security forces have been deployed in Ekangarsarai.

"Protestors have pelted stones at police and shouted slogans against police. Tension is prevailing in Ekangarsarai," a district police official said.

Police suspect the boy was killed two days after being kidnapped.

--IANS

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