Chitrakoot reels from a heart-wrenching crime: a 14-year-old boy, son of trader Ashok Keserwani, was abducted from his neighborhood, ransom demands unmet led to his savage killing. In a high-stakes police chase, the ringleader met his end in an encounter, his partner wounded and captured.
It was a routine evening in Bargad when Ayush headed home from classes and joined pals for games. Masked abductors struck swiftly. By nightfall, a chilling call came: 40 lakhs or the boy dies. The Keserwanis turned to police, who pieced together clues from surveillance videos and tip-offs, identifying tin shop owners Irfan and Kallu from Prayagraj.
Friday brought horror as Ayush’s strangled body emerged from a concealed box. Bargad erupted in fury—protesters swarmed the thana, met with police persuasion and force. Meanwhile, SOG units tracked the duo to a dense jungle spot near Puranu Baba. Shots rang out; Kallu fell fatally wounded, Irfan limped away shot in the leg, now recovering in custody.
A third fugitive lurks, but SP Arun Kumar Singh assures swift arrest. With highways jammed in protest and tensions simmering, this case underscores vulnerabilities in small-town security. Families now question every outing, as probes deepen into the kidnappers’ motives and network.