A sessions court in Gwalior has sentenced two men to life imprisonment for the brutal abduction and murder of a 12-year-old boy, holding them guilty of carrying out the crime as an act of revenge after the victim's sister was married to someone else.

Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Singh Parihar convicted the main accused, Shivam alias Tota Kushwah (23), and his associate Aman Goswami alias Yogi (21) for kidnapping, murder and destruction of evidence. The court also imposed financial penalties on both convicts, describing the crime as exceptionally cruel. The verdict was delivered nearly 19 months after the incident, with the prosecution relying heavily on digital and forensic evidence to establish the accused's involvement.

Revenge Motive Behind the Crime

According to the prosecution, Shivam was in a relationship with the victim's elder sister, Nandani. While both families had initially agreed to their marriage, opposition from the girl's stepfather led to the proposal being called off. The family later arranged Nandani's marriage with another man.

Investigators said Shivam harboured resentment over the marriage and allegedly decided to take revenge by targeting her younger brother, 12-year-old Hem Singh Rajput, instead of confronting the family directly.

Lured to Fair, Killed in Forest

The prosecution told the court that on July 29, 2024, Hem left home to visit the Gupteshwar Mahadev fair. During his journey, Shivam allegedly contacted the boy over the phone and persuaded him to meet on the pretext of taking him around the fair.

Shivam, along with Aman, allegedly kidnapped Hem and took him to an isolated forest area near Dev Kho Road in the Tighra police station limits. After consuming alcohol, the two allegedly attacked the child with large stones, inflicting fatal head injuries and crushing his jaw.

To conceal the crime, the accused buried the body beneath heavy stones before fleeing the spot.

Digital Evidence Cracked the Case

The victim's body was discovered the following day after a shepherd noticed flies hovering over stones in the forest and found the child's fingers protruding from beneath them.

Police launched an intensive investigation using digital evidence. CCTV footage from liquor shops near Tighra and Dev Kho Road allegedly captured the accused with the victim shortly before the murder and showed them purchasing alcohol.

Investigators also matched the mobile phone locations of both accused with the crime scene. Call detail records established that the final call received by Hem before his disappearance was from Shivam.

The combination of CCTV footage, mobile location data and call records formed the backbone of the prosecution's case and played a decisive role in securing the conviction.

Court Calls Crime 'Shocking'

While pronouncing the sentence, the court observed that the murder of an innocent child to settle a personal grudge was a crime that shook human conscience.

The judge noted that taking the life of a minor over a failed relationship or family dispute was unacceptable under any circumstances and warranted strict punishment under the law.

The prosecution maintained that the verdict sends a strong message that crimes driven by personal revenge, particularly those involving children, will be dealt with firmly by the justice system.