Prayagraj: Businessman's son kidnapped for Rs 15 lakh found dead, 2 held

The body of a businessman's 13-year-old son allegedly kidnapped from Prayagraj for Rs 15-lakh ransom was recovered Sunday in the forests of Arwari with his mouth gagged and hands and legs tied with a rope, police said.

Two people have been arrested in connection with the case after an encounter in which they sustained bullet injuries on their legs, they said.

Bargarh SHO Anjani Kumar Singh told PTI it appeared that Shubh Kesarwani was hit on the head with a heavy stone which caused his death.

Shubh was the son of businessman Pushpraj Kesarwani alias Vicky, of Shankargarh, he said.

The boy was in the shop at Shankargarh till 4 pm on Saturday but mysteriously disappeared after that, the SHO said.

He said Pushpraj got a call from an unknown person around 9 pm on Saturday, demanding a ransom of Rs 15 lakh, Singh said.

During the probe, names of two people, Sukhdev from Chitrakoot and Sanjay alias Ratnesh Verma of Madhya Pradesh's Reva, came to the fore, police said. Police tried to apprehend the duo near Bargarh Road Nursery when the two opened fire on the police, they said In retaliatory firing, both of them sustained bullet injuries on their legs, police said, adding that the duo was arrested and currently undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The body has been sent for post-mortem. A detailed probe is on in the matter, they said.