A man in Uttar Pradesh’s Firozabad m*rdered an 18-month-old boy after the child’s mother repeatedly rejected his marriage proposal. Police said the accused, Jitendra Pathak alias Viraj, viewed toddler Aarav as an obstacle to marrying his mother and k*lled him by repeatedly slamming him against the ground after luring him away on the pretext of buying a toffee.
After the brutal murder, Viraj fled the scene, leading to a police manhunt. Investigators later tracked him down near Mainpuri Road, where he opened fire on officers while attempting to evade arrest. During the exchange of fire, he was shot in the leg and taken into custody.
During questioning, the accused confessed that he killed Aarav because he believed the child was the reason his marriage proposal had been rejected. Police have recovered a country-made pistol and cartridges from his possession and said they are collecting evidence to seek the strictest possible punishment against him.
