Neighbour arrested for teenager's murder in Kolkata

Kolkata: A 22-year-old youth has been arrested in connection with the murder of a 14-year-old boy in Barabagan area of the city.

Subhasis Das alias Suvo, neighbour of victim Bittu Das, was arrested by the Anti Rowdy Section of Kolkata Police late on Monday night, a senior police officer of the Force said on Tuesday.

Subhasish, the officer claimed, has confessed to his crime admitting that he had kidnapped the teenager as he required the money to undertake an eye surgery.

"He (Subhasish) admitted to his crime. He said he needed the money to undergo an eye surgery... We are looking into his claims," the officer said.

Another person along with Subhasish was also detained by the ARS section of Kolkata Police, but was released after a grilling session, he said. Bittu's body was found late Sunday night after he went missing.

Family members of Bittu, a student of Class X, said they received calls from an 'unknown' mobile number at around 8.30 pm on Sunday demanding a ransom of Rs 50,000, after their son did not return home. There were altogether three calls made from that number, police said. Initially, Bittu's father Nirmal Das, a driver by profession, took the call as a prank and did not pay much heed to it.

Acting on the tower location of the mobile from which the ransom call was made, Subhasish was detained and subsequently arrested following his confession, he said.