In Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district, a 14-year-old boy, Ayush Kesarwani, was kidnapped and murdered by Irfan Ansari and Sahve Iman, also known as Kallu. Ayush, the son of local cloth merchant Ashok Kesarwani, was killed on the night of January 22 after the accused allegedly murdered him when their ransom demand was not met.
Within 24 hours of the crime, police conducted an encounter on January 23 in which Irfan Ansari was killed, while the second accused sustained a bullet injury to his leg. The incident falls under the jurisdiction of Bargad Police Station.
The boy was kidnapped in broad daylight, after which the abductors contacted the Kesarwani family and demanded a ransom. While negotiations were ongoing and the police were simultaneously searching for the child, the kidnappers, identified as Irfan Ansari and Kallu, allegedly murdered the boy after the ransom amount was not paid.
During the search operation, police recovered a locked box. Upon breaking it open, they discovered Ayush’s body inside.
Following this, the police intensified efforts to track down the accused and used technical surveillance to trace the WhatsApp number used to make the ransom calls. Based on the location data, a police team reached the spot to arrest the kidnappers.
According to police, the accused opened fire on the team, leading to an encounter in which Irfan Ansari was killed. The second accused, Sahve Iman alias Kallu, aged around 70, was arrested after sustaining a bullet injury to his leg.
Both accused are reported to be residents of Katra Chauraha in the Karma area under the jurisdiction of Ghurpur Police Station. The incident triggered panic and widespread outrage in the locality.
