Couple held for scientist's son's murder in Hyderabad

C. Pranav, the son of a defence scientist, was kidnapped June 10 in Asifnagar area from outside his house while he was waiting for a friend. Three days later, the body of the class five student was found in a gunny bag in an open drain in Guddimalkapur area, not far from his house.

The kidnapper-couple were nabbed Saturday. Ranjan, who works as a watchman, said they abducted the scientist's son as they were facing financial problems but panicked and smothered the boy to death after his father Rammohan Rao lodged a police complaint.

Police had a tough time in cracking the case as Rao, a Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) scientist here, had not received a ransom call.

He told police that on the evening of June 10 a person called him to know if Pranav was his son. However, the line got disconnected as Rao's mobile phone battery ran out.

The scientist did not receive any further call and he lodged a complaint with the police.
The police probed the case from various angles and picked up many suspects during the last three days but could not achieve a breakthrough. The case assumed significance in view of Rao's position and there were also speculations that the boy was abducted to get some sensitive information from his father.

The investigators analysed the phone calls made from Alapatinagar and surrounding areas and also checked the houses in the area.

The police also released the sketch of a man, who was seen talking to the boy before he went missing.

The investigators made significant progress Friday when some eyewitnesses told them that they saw a man carrying a gunny bag and he was accompanied by a woman.