Patna: A one-and-a-half-year-old boy was allegedly murdered inside a Durga temple in Jeetan Chhapra village under Ranitalab police station area in Patna district on Saturday. A deep cut was found on his neck. Police arrested the child’s elder brother, 24-year-old Ajit Kumar, in connection with the murder.Paliganj sub-divisional police officer (SDPO-II) Pankaj Kumar Sharma said police received information about the murder at around 11.50am. After verifying the information, a police team reached the spot and, with the help of villagers, took Ajit into custody.The SDPO said Ajit, son of tractor driver Ranju Yadav, allegedly killed his younger brother Manish Kumar alias Hanuman with a ‘dabia’ (a sharp agricultural cutting weapon) inside the temple premises. Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the killing.Ranitalab SHO Navneet Anand told TOI the police had recovered the child’s body and were probing the circumstances surrounding the murder. “The accused is being questioned to establish the sequence of events and the motive behind the killing,” he said.Locals had earlier raised suspicion of a possible connection with witchcraft or a ritual, but police have not confirmed the motive. Investigators are examining all aspects of the case.An FSL team was called to the crime scene to collect evidence. Police said further details would emerge as the investigation progresses. The accused was being questioned to establish the sequence of events and determine what led to the alleged killing inside the temple.
