Tension in Chandigarh after kidnapped boy found dead (Second lead)

CHANDIGARH - The body of a five-year-old boy kidnapped last month for ransom was Wednesday found stuffed in a bag on the city’s outskirts, sparking violent protests by residents who clashed with the police over their failure to rescue the victim.

Police called in additional force and riot control teams to control the restive mob. Tear gas shells were fired and water cannons were used to disperse the protesters.

Kushpreet Singh was kidnapped from outside his house in Burail village Dec 21. Police said he was strangled to death.

As soon as the news of the recovery of his body spread, agitated residents of the village laid siege to the Burail police post and raised slogans against police.

They also tried to enter post and engaged in a minor clash with police.

Protesters later gathered on a road facing Sector 45 here, near Burail, and blocked traffic going towards neighbouring Mohali town in Punjab.

They also hurled stones at police, torched vehicles’ tyres and damaged some parked vehicles. This forced police to call in riot control teams.

All the shops in the area were closed and all lights were switched off, making things more difficult for police.

Many of protestors took shelter in the village and continued to hurl stones on law enforcers.

Police restricted traffic movement near Sector 45 and diverted it to alternative routes.

“We are trying our level best to control the situation. Additional force has been called in,” said a police official, who was present at the spot.

The bag carrying Kushpreet’s body was spotted in the evening near bushes on a road disecting phase IX and X of Mohali town, under Chandigarh police jurisdiction.

“We immediately informed the Chandigarh police as this area comes under their jurisdiction,” a Mohali police official told IANS.

The abductors had demanded Rs.10 lakh ransom from Kushpreets parents. The victim’s family even paid up Rs.4 lakh to abductors in the presence of police, but the kidnappers did not free the boy.

“It is difficult to say when the boy was murdered,” Superintendent of Police H.S. Doon told reporters.

Earlier in the day, two senior police officers were transferred for their failure to solved the 15-day-old case.

The victim’s family had announced a cash reward of Rs.100,000 for those providing clues. “We have lost faith in Chandigarh police,” said Lakhbir Singh, the boy’s father.