Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district mourns a 14-year-old’s abduction and murder by ransom-seeking thugs, son of merchant Ashok Keserwani. After a furious police operation, the mastermind was slain in a jungle clash, his associate shot and detained, as hunt for another intensifies.
The ordeal began Thursday evening in Bargad: Ayush Keserwani, post-tuition fun with friends, abducted in broad daylight. A frantic ransom call for 40 lakhs followed. Family notified police, who leveraged tech and ground intel to name Irfan and Kallu—local shopkeepers from Prayagraj.
Ayush’s body surfaced Friday, savagely throttled and crated. Bargad’s streets filled with enraged citizens storming the police post; order restored via dialogue and minimal force. SOG-led teams cornered the pair at Puranu Baba forest pre-dawn. Intense exchange left Kallu dead, Irfan leg-shot and hospitalized.
SP Arun Kumar Singh’s presence quelled rising panic, though protests clogged highways. This tragedy spotlights rural safety gaps, spurring community vigilance. Investigations probe deeper connections, with police confident in rounding up remnants soon. Ayush’s memory fuels calls for tougher laws.