Man arrested for murdering five year old cousin due to family dispute

New Delhi: A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his five-year-old cousin over an ongoing dispute with the child's family in outer Delhi's Ranhola.A PCR call was received around 12.20 pm at Ranhola police station on Thursday about the alleged murder of a boy from Mohan Garden, with injuries on his neck. The boy's father told the cops that he had been missing since Tuesday and the body was first spotted that day by the child's cousin, Ravi Kumar, at an under-construction building few metres away from his house. Inquiry revealed that Kumar, a roadside fish-seller and labourer, is the nephew of the child's father, who had been residing with his maternal grandparents.While the deceased boy's father initially suspected his mother, who had left the house on Tuesday due to disputes with the family, she was traced to Chhapra in Bihar, where she denied any involvement. "Meanwhile, a team analysed CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and conducted local inquiries with street vendors and shopkeepers," said DCP (outer) Vikram Singh, adding that CCTV analysis revealed that the child was last seen with Ravi Kumar around 3.24 pm that day.Kumar told police that he wanted to teach a lesson to his aunt, the mother of the boy, due to ongoing family disputes between her and his maternal uncle. Police said the accused allegedly took the boy to an under-construction building while under the influence of alcohol, pushed him to the ground and pressed his neck. He allegedly slashed the child's neck with a kitchen knife and covered the body with a jacket. He then continued drinking for two days out of guilt. Later, on the pretext of collecting small pieces of wood, he returned to the building, brought the body home and falsely told family members that the child was found dead there. Police have seized the knife.