7-year-old Muslim boy found killed in UP, Hindu neighbour accused of sacrificial killing for deity

A seven-year-old Muslim boy was allegedly killed as part of a sacrifice to a deity by his neighbour in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, according to his family, although police have not confirmed the motive, and the murder has triggered outrage across the state.

The child, who went missing on Wednesday evening after attending tuition classes, was found dead the following morning with his body stuffed inside a sack and hanging from a gate in the Sidhari locality.

Locals accused neighbour Shailendra Kumar Nigam, also known as Mantu, of committing the crime, and the victim’s family insisted that he was the last person seen with the boy before his disappearance, according to Maktoob Media.

The boy, identified as Shahzeb, was the eldest of three siblings and described by his family as studious and intelligent, and his killing has left the community devastated. His relatives alleged that Nigam murdered him as part of a ritual act, while police registered an initial kidnapping case late Wednesday night and said all angles were under investigation.

By Thursday, Shahzeb’s body was recovered in a mutilated condition, and the family accused the neighbour of betrayal despite having cordial ties earlier. The Rashtriya Ulama Council intervened by visiting the grieving household and pressing the police for stringent action, while political leaders condemned the killing as an act of cruelty and hatred.

Police confirmed the arrest of two individuals — Nigam and another man identified as Raja Nigam — in a joint operation by Siddharth and Mubarakpur police on Thursday evening, claiming that both sustained injuries while allegedly attempting to flee in what officers described as an encounter.

Weapons, including pistols and cartridges, were recovered from their possession, and authorities assured that the harshest action would follow once the postmortem report is received.