Sakti, Chhattisgarh: The Sakti Police have solved the shocking murder of a 13-year-old boy within 40 hours, arresting a 22-year-old suspect who allegedly lured the victim with the promise of easy money before strangling him to death and burying his body in a farm to conceal the crime.
According to police, the murder was motivated by an old personal grudge. The victim’s body has been recovered, and the alleged murder weapon along with other crucial evidence has been seized.
Boy Went Missing After Leaving Home
The case came to light after Saukhi Kumar Kewat, a resident of Parsada Khurd village, filed a missing person complaint stating that his 13-year-old son, Kapil Kumar Kewat, had left home on July 8, 2026, with Hemant Kumar Kewat but never returned.
Family members searched for the boy in nearby villages and among relatives, but when all efforts failed, they approached the police. Based on suspicion, officers registered a case and launched an intensive investigation.
Psychological Interrogation Exposed the Crime
Considering the seriousness of the case, Superintendent of Police Prafull Kumar Thakur formed a special investigation team under the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police Pankaj Patel and SDOP Dr. Bhuneshwari Paikra.
Police detained Hemant Kumar Kewat (22), a resident of Parsada Khurd, for questioning. Investigators said the suspect repeatedly changed his statements in an attempt to mislead the investigation. However, after psychological interrogation techniques were employed, he allegedly confessed to committing the murder.
Old Grudge Led to Brutal Killing
During questioning, the accused told investigators that about six to seven months ago, he had been involved in a dispute with some youths from Harda village.
He allegedly believed that Kapil Kumar Kewat had informed others about the incident, leading to resentment and a desire for revenge.
Police said that on the night of July 8, the accused lured the boy by claiming they could earn money by selling stolen scrap iron. He then took the child to a farm structure (Bor House), where he allegedly strangled him to death.
Body Buried in Farm to Destroy Evidence
After the murder, the accused allegedly attempted to eliminate evidence by removing the victim’s clothes and discarding them at a different location.
He then dug a pit in an agricultural field using a Rapa (a sharp agricultural tool) and buried the body.
Based on the accused’s confession, police recovered the body in the presence of an Executive Magistrate, a medical team, and forensic experts. The deceased was officially identified as Kapil Kumar Kewat.
Murder Weapon and Evidence Recovered
Police also recovered the Rapa allegedly used during the crime, along with the clothes worn by the accused at the time of the incident.
According to SP Prafull Kumar Thakur, sufficient physical and forensic evidence has been collected during the investigation.
The accused, Hemant Kumar Kewat, has been arrested and booked under Sections 137(2), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He is being produced before the competent court for further legal proceedings.
The swift resolution of the case within 40 hours highlights the coordinated efforts of the Sakti Police, whose investigation combined psychological interrogation, forensic examination, and evidence-based investigation to uncover the crime.
