Latur (Maharashtra): Suspecting his mother of having an affair with his best friend, a 17-year-old boy allegedly beat the latter to death with a sickle at his shack in the fields on December 30. The deceased has been identified as Ranjit T Mali alias Balu, aged 22. This horrifying incident has sent a chill down the spine of the residents in the district, officials said. The incident took place at the Vadji Village under the jurisdiction of Bhada Police Station.
“We registered a case of murder and have also launched a probe. Balu's friends confirmed his affair with the accused's mother.” Bhada Police Station head Balasaheb Dongare. The police managed to track the 32-year-old woman, who was the victim’s neighbour and started interrogating her on her purported relationship with the deceased, Dongare added.
Meanwhile, another police in the investigating team said that the accused studying in Class XI, had given an old sickle to a friend in the village, asking him to sharpen it for the former to use in the fields. “We summoned the friend to confirm this, but he gave evasive and misleading replies. Later, we subjected him to a grilling when he broke down and finally confessed,” Dongare said.
The boy and Balu were neighbours and shared fields. The accused informed them that he felt ashamed, enraged and animosity towards Balu because he believed his mother and he were having an affair. Because Balu and his mother were close friends, the child was dubious of Balu's easy access to his mother's home. Doubts were increased by the fact that the mother, who has been living alone with him, had been estranged from her husband for long. Additionally, a few years later, Balu, who is thought to be a local "Romeo," was involved in a romantic relationship with the boy's cousin-sister.
The boy admitted to the police of quietly ‘spying’ on Balu and his mom for several days, keeping a watch on their movements and meetings. The teenager vowed to finish off his friend after he was sure of the illicit affair and chalked out the process all by himself. He killed his friend in the wee hours of Saturday and then returned home. Dongare said that investigations revealed that “there was nothing serious going on between the boy’s mother and his best friend”.
The teenager fell prey to local rumours and committed the heinous crime. “We checked the mobile call records of the woman and the victim and interrogated her thoroughly. Though they used to chat often, there was nothing untoward between them as suspected by the boy,” Dongare added. The boy will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board, which will deliver its verdict on the matter.
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