By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The bodies of two children, missing for two days, were recovered from a water-filled pit in the Beur police station area in Patna on Monday. The incident has caused widespread shock and outrage.
The children, identified as 12-year-old Vivek Kumar and 11-year-old Pratyush Kumar, were residents of Saristabad in Gardnibagh and were neighbors. Their families reported them missing on Saturday night. Upon discovering their bodies, family members alleged that the children were beaten to death before being thrown into the pit.
The police, upon receiving the information, retrieved the bodies, which were found with their hands and legs tied and bearing injury marks. This has led the families to suspect foul play. The discovery has sparked significant public unrest, with people protesting and demanding a thorough investigation and strict action against the perpetrators. Protesters set fires and blocked roads near Lalu Petrol Pump, leading to a large police presence at the scene.
Local public representatives have demanded compensation for the victim families. Preliminary police investigations, including a review of nearby CCTV footage, showed three children together before the incident. The third child was questioned by the police. While the police initially suggested that the children might have drowned, the families believe they were murdered.
The father of Vivek Kumar reported that the children’s eyes were gouged out and that they had been brutally beaten and stabbed. This allegation further fueled the suspicion of murder. Police have called in a dog squad and forensic experts to aid in the investigation.
Pratyush Kumar was the only son of Vikas Yadav. His death has left his parents and two younger sisters devastated. Similarly, Vivek Kumar’s family is also in deep mourning. Vivek’s father, Vinod Yadav, a driver, and his mother, Poonam Devi, along with their younger son, Abhishek, are struggling to cope with the tragedy.
The children went missing while playing on Sunday afternoon. Vivek’s brother, Abhishek, reported that Vivek and Pratyush had gone horse riding. Despite their families’ search efforts and police involvement, the boys were not found until their bodies were discovered in the pit.
The police investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear whether the children were murdered or died by accidental drowning. The community awaits further clarity as the investigation proceeds.
