Satna, April 21 (IANS) A day after the brutal murder of an 11-year-old boy shocked Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district, police traced the accused and arrested him on Tuesday from his native place in Sidhi district. ​

The accused, Mathura Rajak, is now in custody and being interrogated to establish the exact motive and sequence of events.​

Confirming the development, Additional Superintendent of Police Shivesh Singh Baghel said swift action by multiple teams led to the arrest.​

“Three police teams were formed to apprehend the accused, Mathura Rajak. He was arrested from his home district, Sidhi, on Tuesday evening and is currently being interrogated,” Baghel told the media on Tuesday.​

The case relates to a gruesome incident reported on Monday from the Kolgawan area of Satna district, where the victim, Shivraj Rajak, a Class 5 student, was found murdered inside his rented house. His body was recovered from a blue plastic drum after police broke open a locked room.​

According to police, the child was alone at home at the time of the incident. His mother had gone to work as a domestic help, while his father was employed as a labourer in Nashik, Maharashtra. His siblings were also away for work and studies, leaving the boy alone in the house.

​Police said the accused, who was known to the family, entered the house around 10:30 a.m. on Monday. He allegedly attacked the child with a sharp sickle and slit his throat, killing him on the spot.​

After committing the murder, the accused tried to destroy evidence. He placed the body inside a blue drum, covered it with clothes, and locked the house from the outside before fleeing the scene.​

The crime came to light around 12:30 p.m. when the boy’s mother returned home. She found the main door locked from the outside and her son missing. His shoes were lying near the entrance, which raised suspicion.

She immediately alerted family members and neighbours, who informed the police, according to police.​

A team from the Kolgawan police station reached the spot and broke open the door in the presence of the family. Inside, officers found bloodstains on the walls and a pillow.​

A sickle, suspected to be the murder weapon, was also recovered from the scene. A blue drum with blood marks was found in the room. When it was opened, the child’s body was discovered inside.​

A forensic team was called to collect evidence, and the body was sent for post-mortem examination.​

During preliminary investigation, suspicion fell on Mathura Rajak, a local laundry worker known to the family. Police said he had allegedly been pressuring the boy’s mother to marry him and had been threatening her earlier. Family members believe her refusal to accept his proposal may have triggered the crime.​

Police said further investigation is underway. The accused is being questioned in detail to verify the motive and examine all possible angles in the case, including whether any other person was involved.​

A police officer said the priority is to complete the investigation based on forensic evidence and witness statements to ensure strong legal action in the case.​

–IANS

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