SATNA: A day after an 11-year-old boy was found brutally murdered and his body stuffed inside a plastic drum in Satna, police on Tuesday arrested the accused, saying the crime was driven by his one-sided obsession with the child’s mother.The accused, Mathura Rajak (45), had been on the run after allegedly killing the boy and hiding the body inside a blue drum at the family’s rented home near Siddharth Nagar. He was tracked down following a manhunt by multiple police teams. Investigators said he was known to the family and had been in contact with them for some time.According to police, the incident took place on Monday morning when the Class V student was alone at home. His mother, who works as a domestic help, returned around 12.30 pm to find the house locked from outside. The boy was missing, and his shoes were found lying near the door, raising suspicion.After searching unsuccessfully, the family approached Kolgawan Police Station and lodged a missing complaint. Police reached the house and broke open the lock in the presence of family members. Inside, they found blood splattered on the walls, a bloodstained pillow, and a sickle, indicating a violent attack.A blue plastic drum in the room also had blood marks on its exterior. When officers opened it, they discovered the boy’s body inside with his throat slit, suggesting he had been killed with the sickle and the body concealed to destroy evidence.
A forensic team later examined the scene and collected crucial evidence, including the suspected weapon and other materials.During the probe, suspicion quickly turned to Rajak, who had allegedly been pressuring the boy’s mother to marry him. Police said he had earlier threatened her, and his advances were rejected, pointing to a possible motive rooted in obsession and resentment.Investigators believe Rajak entered the house when the child was alone, carried out the murder, and then attempted to cover up the crime by hiding the body in the drum, placing clothes over it, locking the house, and fleeing.Following sustained search operations across multiple locations, police teams tracked him down and arrested him on Tuesday.The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and a case has been registered. Police said further investigation is underway to establish the complete sequence of events and gather additional evidence.
