15-yr-old charged with class 2 pupil's murder

In a new twist in the Hathras schoolboy's murder case, initially believed to be an outcome of a botched attempt for human sacrifice, the police have filed a charge sheet against a 15-year-old boy, alleging that he killed his fellow hosteller, a class 2 student, in order for the school to declare a holiday, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

- HT Correspondent

AGRA:

The charge sheet, filed by Hathras police in a local court on December 23, also cleared the murder charge against all five accused initially arrested in the case. They remain booked for other offences, including damaging the evidence, police said.

In the charge sheet, police have booked the 15-year-old boy, a class 8 student, for murder, alleging that he strangulated class 2 student Kratarth Kushwaha to death.

Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Ashok Kumar Singh confirmed the development and said the accused, who lived in the same hostel as the deceased, was detained on December 16. "He has been lodged in a juvenile home," ASP Singh said.