Toddler found dead in neighbour's house in UP's Bulandshahr

Bulandshahr (UP), Oct 15 (PTI) An 18-month-old boy was found dead inside a wooden trunk at his neighbour's house in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, hours after he was reported missing, police said on Wednesday.

Madhav, had gone missing from his house in Nityanandpur Nangaliya village in Narsaina area on Tuesday evening. Acting on a complaint from the family, police registered a case and began a search operation, Superintendent of Police (City) Shankar Prasad said.

During the search, the toddler's body was found wrapped in a quilt inside a wooden chest at the house of a neighbour, identified as Ankush, the officer said.

The accused was taken into custody and, during questioning, he confessed to killing the child, the SP added.

"Prima facie, it appears that the boy was strangled to death. The body has been sent for post-mortem, and further legal proceedings are underway," Prasad said.

According to residents, Madhav was playing outside his home when Ankush allegedly lured him away. After the child went missing, villagers and police conducted a door-to-door search.

When officers asked Ankush to open a chest inside his house, they found the boy's body concealed under a quilt, they said.

Ankush has been arrested and the motive behind the killing is under investigation, the police said. PTI COR KIS SHS NB