A 14-year-old boy, a Class 10 student, was detained by Cyberabad Police for the brutal murder of 10-year-old Sahasra, a Class 6 student at Kendriya Vidyalaya, in Kukatpally on August 18. The boy, a neighbor, allegedly stabbed Sahasra 21 times after she caught him stealing her younger brother’s MRF cricket bat, police said.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner Avinash Mohanty announced the breakthrough on Saturday, five days after the crime shocked the city. The boy, classified as a Child in Conflict with Law (CCL), entered Sahasra’s home via the terrace, intending to steal the bat. When Sahasra raised an alarm, he panicked, grabbed a knife, and attacked her, inflicting multiple stab wounds, including 10 to her neck, leading to her instant death.

Despite extensive CCTV scans showing no outsider entering the apartment, a tip from a resident during questioning led police to the suspect. The boy initially misled investigators, claiming he heard noises, but forensic evidence, including blood traces on his washed clothes, and sustained questioning exposed his guilt. Police seized the murder weapon, the stolen bat, and a handwritten note detailing his theft plan, titled “Mission Theft.” Reports suggest he was influenced by OTT crime shows, planning the act a month in advance.

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The boy was produced before the Juvenile Justice Court and sent to a juvenile home under sections 103(1), 331(5), and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. However, Sahasra’s parents, Krishna and Renuka, accused police of downplaying the case to protect the minor, staging a protest outside Kukatpally Police Station. They demanded he be tried as an adult, alleging the bat theft motive was a cover-up. “He consoled my son after killing my daughter,” Krishna said, calling for severe punishment.

State SC ST Commission Chairman B. Venkataiah met the family, promising a thorough review. The case, which unfolded while Sahasra was alone at home due to a school holiday, has sparked outrage, with posts on X demanding justice and questioning juvenile crime handling. The investigation continues, with police urging parents to monitor children’s media consumption to prevent such tragedies.

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