Kandivali Police Arrest Akshay Garud in 4-Year-Old’s Abduction, Murder Case | Representational Image
Mumbai: The Kandivali Police have solved the case of a 4-year-old boy’s abduction and murder, which occurred in Kandivali West last week. The police arrested the accused, Akshay Garud, from Surat, Gujarat, after an extensive manhunt. The investigation involved scanning through 200 CCTV cameras and tracking a reflective plate on the bicycle used by the accused during the crime.
According to police officials, the case was cracked with the help of CCTV footage and meticulous tracking. During the initial probe, the police identified a rented bicycle used by the accused to carry the boy. When the investigation team reached the bicycle rental shop, Garud was standing nearby, but the police failed to recognize him. However, the distinct reflective plate on the bicycle, captured in the CCTV footage, helped the police confirm it was the same vehicle used in the abduction.
The shopkeeper provided the accused’s rental details, which gave the police a lead. Realizing that the police were after him, Garud attempted to evade arrest by moving across multiple locations. He first hid at a friend’s house in Santacruz, but when the friend refused to shelter him, he fled to Virar. From Virar, he boarded a train to Surat, where he went into hiding.
The police, using CCTV footage from railway stations and other areas, pieced together the escape trail. They shared Garud’s description with the Gujarat Police, who ultimately arrested him. A senior police officer revealed that Garud stopped using his mobile phone after committing the crime to avoid being tracked.
During interrogation, Garud confessed that he was a friend of the boy’s stepfather. He claimed he did not intend to kill the child but acted out of rage when the boy started crying while he was bathing him. In a fit of anger, he drowned the boy. However, the police are still unclear about the exact motive behind the crime.
The authorities are investigating whether Garud intended to demand ransom or had plans to sell the child, as both possibilities are being examined. The tragic incident occurred on March 22 in Kandivali West, where the 4-year-old boy was abducted and later drowned in water.
