In a shocking crime that has left Hyderabad in disbelief, a 14-year-old boy was arrested for the murder of his 10-year-old neighbor in Kukatpally. Police revealed that the motive behind the killing was the boy’s obsession with a ₹500 cricket bat belonging to the victim’s younger brother. The murder occurred on August 18, when the girl was home alone.

Planned Theft Turns Into Murder

According to Cyberabad Police, the minor, classified as a Child in Conflict with Law (CCL), entered the victim’s house through the terrace, intending to steal the bat. He carried a knife to intimidate anyone who might spot him. When the girl saw him and tried to stop him by holding his collar, he panicked and stabbed her multiple times, leading to her death.

Boy Tried to Cover His Tracks

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Avinash Mohanty said the boy showed no signs of remorse in the immediate aftermath. He washed the knife, cleaned his blood-stained clothes, and acted normally. For four days, he provided alibis and denied involvement, even swearing innocence to his mother.

Police said the breakthrough came after a resident reported seeing the boy loitering near the boundary wall around the time of the crime. His inconsistent statements and faint forensic evidence eventually exposed him. Investigators found a handwritten note in which he had planned to steal money and mislead the investigation.

“When his mother asked him again on the second day, he accused her of trying to turn him in and even swore that he didn’t do it. His mother also said two months before, her son received a cell phone, but that he would only say he bought it and wouldn’t tell us where the money for the phone came from, which raised doubts in her mind about her son,” the DCP said.

Detailed Cover-Up Attempt

After committing the murder, the boy returned home and washed his hands, clothes, and the knife. He placed the bloodied clothes in the washing machine. CCTV footage failed to capture him entering the building, which initially left police without strong leads. The boy even lied about going to a hospital later that day because his rabbit had fallen sick.

“He wrote a slip in which he wrote how he would pour petrol, fire the lock to melt it in order to break into the house. The bat was kept in the kitchen of the house. He thought cutting off the gas pipe would lead to a fire, resulting in no trace of the theft being left behind,” the DCP said.

Statement of Victim’s Family

On Saturday, the 10-year-old victim’s father, taking to media persons outside the Kukatpally police station, poured his grief out urging the police, the government, and the people “not to see the 14-year-old boy who killed his daughter as a wayward juvenile but a person with clear criminal intent.” “Blood for blood. That boy should not exist anymore. He is not a boy, but a monster who planned everything out.”

The victim’s mother and other relatives launched a protest near the police station demanding justice, “My son played cricket with him almost every day. After the murder, he behaved as if nothing changed and everything was normal. “How could we suspect a child? But he is not a child. Until the police found out, we never imagined he could do it. A minor cannot plan a murder like this. He should not be treated as one. A minor cannot plan like a criminal,” the victim’s father said.

He further stated that over Rs 85,000 had gone missing from his home. “I don’t know since when he (the accused minor) has been stealing from my house,” he said, and added that the boy could have not indulged in the actions he did without his parents being aware of his behaviour. “All I want is justice for my daughter and he should be hanged. I appeal to the police and the government to do justice for my dead daughter,” Krishna said.

Victim’s Family Demands Justice

The victim’s parents are outraged by the police’s handling of the case. They accused the police of trying to protect the accused by emphasizing his age. The girl’s father, Krishna, said the accused should not be treated as a juvenile, calling him a “monster” who premeditated the crime. He also claimed ₹85,000 had gone missing from his home.

“His mother said she found his behaviour suspicious and asked him twice, on the day of the murder and the next day, if he had anything to do with the crime. At first he did not admit to it. Later he told her it looked like she would get him caught,” the DCP said.

The grieving family staged a protest outside the Kukatpally Police Station, demanding the harshest punishment for the accused. They were joined by relatives and neighbors, with police struggling to maintain order on the busy street.

Legal Action and Investigation Updates

The boy has been booked under Sections 103(1) (murder), 331(5) (house-trespass), and 305 (theft in protected premises) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He has been produced before a juvenile justice court.

State SC/ST Commission Chairman B. Venkataiah visited the family and promised that their demand for justice would be taken seriously.