9-Year-Old Boy Found Dead Inside Suitcase Dumped In Bushes, 19-Year-Old Kidnapper Arrested

The body of a 9-year-old boy, who was brutally killed, was found in a suitcase dumped in the bushes near his home in India.

The incident took place in the southern city of Hyderabad. The victim, identified as Raza Khan, was kidnapped Saturday by a teenager, who intended to extort a ransom from his parents. The accused, identified as 19-year-old S. Ajay, befriended the victim two weeks before the incident, the Deccan Chronicle reported.

After the young boy went missing, his father, who was a timber merchant, offered a $6,000 reward for any clues that could help bring his son back home.

However, the accused killed the child using a hammer when the latter screamed for help after being abducted.

Local police found Khan had taken his bicycle to Ajay's house on the day of the incident. However, the bicycle was discovered in a different location.

Following initial investigation, the police apprehended Ajay and questioned him. During interrogation, the accused admitted to killing the boy. He also said he had planned to demand $30,000 from the victim's father as ransom. The accused has been arrested, the police said, according to Telugu Samayam.

After Ajay's confession, the police found the body of the victim, and handed it over to the family, following the autopsy.

"The investigation is going on to determine whether any more people are involved in it," N. Koti Reddy, a senior police officer said. "We will pursue the case for a fast-track trial to ensure that the accused is punished in court."

Last month, a man in India was arrested for strangling his wife to death in front of their toddler, and then disposing of her naked body in a suitcase. The 22-year-old husband confessed to the murder, and was arrested two days after the suitcase was found in the northern city of Gurugram. The victim was married in February 2021 to the accused, the police said. The accused told the police he used to have frequent fights with his wife about two months into their marriage. She wanted items like a TV set, cellphone, refrigerator and washing machine for the home, which her husband could not afford. This led to frequent fights and on the day of the tragedy, the accused got very angry and killed his wife.