UP: Teenager held for killing 9-year-old boy to force boarding school to close down
Hathras (UP), Dec 26: A teenager was apprehended for allegedly killing a boy two months ago, believing that their boarding school would be forced to shut down after the death, allowing him to go home, police here said on Thursday.
Police had earlier said that on September 26, a 9-year-old boy's body was found in the backseat of the school director's car. They suspected that the director and his family had 'sacrificed' the boy to bring fame to the school and resolve family issues. Following this, five people were arrested on charges of murder and tampering with evidence.
However, on Thursday, Superintendent of Police, Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said that they conducted interviews with the other students and found that a 13-year-old boy had been asking classmates how he could get the school closed.
During questioning, he confessed to killing the victim using a towel, he said.
"He thought that with the child's death, the school would be forced to shut down and he would be able to leave," Sinha said.
CCTV footage revealed the suspect walking around with a towel before the incident. After the alleged strangulation, the teenager reportedly asked a friend to sleep next to him, claiming to be scared.
The suspect is currently in juvenile detention and an investigation is underway.
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UP CM Adityanath orders strict monitoring of police's infra projects
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath has stressed the importance of maintaining quality and adhering to deadlines in the construction of police lines, transit hostels, and training institutions under the home department.
Chairing a meeting at his official residence on Thursday, the chief minister directed that these projects be reviewed regularly at various administrative levels to ensure progress, according to an official statement.
Adityanath emphasised that a secretary-level official from the home department should conduct weekly reviews, while the additional chief secretary should conduct fortnightly reviews.
He added that monitoring responsibilities should also extend to district, range, and zonal police officers.
Highlighting accountability, the chief minister ordered a monthly third-party audit by technical institutes for all projects exceeding Rs 50 crore. This audit should include on-site verification and photographic evidence submitted alongside the report, the statement said.
Adityanath also underscored the need for experienced professionals in the construction process, suggesting the involvement of retired engineers or proficient professionals from reputed technical institutions, if necessary.
He further directed that no changes should be made to the approved project design after work has begun, except under unavoidable circumstances and with prior approval from the authorities.
For high-rise buildings, the chief minister instructed that elevators be made mandatory and a dedicated corpus fund be established for their maintenance.
Reviewing budget allocations and project progress zone-wise, Adityanath expressed his commitment to improving housing facilities for field officers.
Multi-storey residential buildings are being constructed in police lines for this purpose, as per the statement.
The chief minister pointed out that districts like Sambhal, Hapur, Chandauli, Auraiya, Amroha and Shamli currently lack permanent police lines, and their construction is underway to enhance operational efficiency.
He also said a transit hostel with four blocks at Aligarh Police Line will be completed by April 2025.
The State Firefighting Training College in Unnao and residential and non-residential facilities for the Veerangana Uda Devi Women Police Battalion in Lucknow must see accelerated progress, he directed the officials concerned.
Adityanath also called for the timely completion of significant projects, including doubling the capacity of police training facilities in Moradabad, Meerut, Gorakhpur, and Sitapur.
The chief minister issued similar instructions for establishing new PAC battalions in Gautam Buddh Nagar and Shamli, and for constructing forensic labs in Ayodhya and residential police training schools in Meerut and Badaun for the women PAC Battalion in Gorakhpur.
He further directed the authorities to take strict action against contractors failing to meet contractual obligations, including issuing notices and blacklisting, if necessary.
