Bound & Gagged Body Of UP Businessman’s Son Kidnapped For Ransom Found In Prayagraj Forest

The body of a businessman’s 13-year-old son Shubh Kesarwani, who was allegedly kidnapped from the Shankargarh market of Prayagraj for Rs 15 lakh ransom, has been found in Arwari forest in Chitrakoot.

The body of a businessman Pushpraj Kesarwani’s 13-year-old son Shubh, allegedly kidnapped from Shankargarh market in Prayagraj for Rs 15 lakh ransom, was found in the Arwari forest in Chitrakoot on Sunday morning. The area is along the Uttar Pradesh-Madhy Pradesh border. Police said the teenager’s body was found with his mouth gagged, and hands and legs tied with a rope, reported news agency PTI. The boy left home around 4 PM on Saturday and did not return.

Bargarh SHO Anjani Kumar Singh said it seemed that Shubh Kesarwani was hit on the head with a heavy stone which caused his death. The incident took place after the boy, who was in the shop at Shankargarh till 4 PM on Saturday, mysteriously disappeared.

Singh said the victim’s father Pushpraj got a call from an unknown person around 9 PM on Saturday, demanding a ransom of Rs 15 lakh for the release of Shubh. After the incident came to light, the body was sent for an autopsy. Meanwhile, senior police officials of the district arrived at the spot and are currently investigating the matter.

On the call, the kidnappers informed Pushpraj that his son was in their custody and also had asked him to come quietly to Dabhaura forest with the ransom amount. They told him that they would shoot him dead if he tried to inform the police. Pushpraj had secretly started trying to free his son, but neighbouring former BJP district treasurer Anup Kesarwani informed Shankargarh police station in-charge Manoj Kumar Singh about the matter.

Subsequently, the police got very active and started making all kinds of attempts to bring the boy back. The authorities also traced the kidnappers to the Dabhaura and Bargarh forest areas of the district border. Later, the Prayagraj Police got in touch with Bargarh police station in-charge Anjani Kumar Singh and blocked the highway.

However, on Sunday morning, locals saw the body of the teenager lying in the forest of Arwari, who then informed the police. Anjani Kumar Singh said that prima facie it seemed that Shubh had been stoned to death as there were injury marks on his face and head.