Body of 3-yr-old buried in Virar exhumed by police

Family begged at Jeevdani temple to survive; Stepfather detained for alleged role in crime; boy’s body preserved

The Virar police on Saturday exhumed the body of a three-year-old tribal boy, who was allegedly killed by his stepfather a couple of days ago. The body was exhumed in the presence of revenue officials who reached there for the panchnama.

The deceased has been identified as Nikesh Wagh, who lived with his mother Deepika, siblings, grandparents and stepfather Ganesh Wagh. The family lived inside an unused drainage pipe, which acted as a makeshift tent covered with plastic sheets to withstand the inclement weather. The entire family, including the deceased, were beggars at the staircase of Jeevdani temple. 

The body was buried next to their dwelling in the foothills of temple in Virar East. A police officer, who was present at the time of the exhumation of the body, told mid-day that the “body will be sent to Sir JJ Hospital to ascertain the actual cause of death”. The body had started to decompose.

Sources at Virar police said that the stepfather, Wagh, would always pick-up fights with his wife and others at home and thrash everyone in an inebriated state. “The child was buried a couple of days ago after he died following Wagh’s assault. The incident took place around 4 am when everybody was asleep. He dug up a three feet deep pit, wrapped the body in a blanket and mat, and buried the boy,” said the officer.

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The matter came to light when the child’s siblings cried inconsolably next to burial spot. When a local tea vendor enquired, the dead boy’s sister spilled the beans. The Virar police was immediately alerted. A team rushed to the spot with excavation tools. Additional police forces were called in to cordon off the area. Senior inspector Suresh Varade said, “We were told that a body of a minor boy had been buried. We exhumed it and kept it safely in a Virar hospital. If required, we will send it to JJ Hospital.”

Varade added, “We have registered an Accidental Death Record (ADR). No one has been arrested till now. The family of the deceased told us that the boy had been unwell and subsequently died.” The stepfather was detained later from Bhatpara area, which he reached after scaling a mountain, the officer added. Sources said he had tried to make an escape after the police got a whiff of the crime.

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