A 5-year-old boy’s body was found in three pieces in a forest near Dindori on Monday. The child, Imran, had been missing since June 17, and police had been searching for him for four days.

Imran’s father, Ikhhtiyar Khan, a resident of Tarera village in the Karanjia police station area, had gone to the forest to collect wood. Early that morning, Imran got up after sleeping and followed his father into the forest. Family members assumed the child was with his father.

When Ikhhtiyar returned home with the wood and asked about his son, the family realised he was missing. They first searched the neighbourhood but could not find him, so they reported the child’s disappearance to the police.

Police formed a team and launched a search operation in the forest and nearby villages. The news of the disappearance was also shared on social media. On Monday, the child’s body was found about 1.5 kilometres from the village.

Police said the body was discovered in three pieces inside the forest. Senior police officers reached the spot immediately after the information arrived. A team of doctors was also called to the scene for the post-mortem.

The cause of death is not yet clear. Police are gathering full details from the father and family members, and the investigation is ongoing.

Why it matters: the tragedy has left the family shattered and sparked concern in the village about safety and the dangers of the forest. Police say they will continue the investigation to determine how the child died.