Shillong, Apr 1 (PTI) A man has been arrested for the murder of a seven-year-old boy in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district, police said on Wednesday, cracking a case that had remained unsolved for nearly six months.
The child, an orphan, had gone missing from his house at Lum Marboh, Nongrah, within city limits under Rynjah police station, around 4 pm on October 8 last, prompting a massive search operation by police personnel and locals, East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said.
The following morning, the kid’s body was found lying by the roadside at Matngen, Mawpat, and was later identified by relatives.
A case was registered at Rynjah police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he said.
Post-mortem conducted at NEIGRIHMS stated that the cause of death was asphyxia due to smothering.
Given the gravity of the offence, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the SP (City) was constituted on October 9, 2025.
Despite examining multiple persons and sending exhibits for forensic analysis to CFSL Guwahati and FSL Shillong, investigators initially found no clear motive or evidence, Syiem said.
After sustained efforts, the SIT zeroed in on the accused, identified as Kenedy Khongsit (32), who lived adjacent to the victim’s house.
According to police, the child had gone to the accused’s house to watch television after lunch on the day of the incident.
During preliminary interrogation, the accused revealed that he had asked the boy to fetch a brush and bucket while he was cleaning a water tank, but the child refused.
In a fit of rage, the accused allegedly smothered the boy when he came out of the house and later hid the body in a water tank before moving it to the backyard, police said.
He then packed the body in a plastic sack, transported it on a white Yamaha RZ scooter belonging to his cousin, and dumped it by the roadside between 4:15 pm and 4:50 pm, before returning home within an hour, Syiem added.
The accused will be produced before a court, and police will seek his remand to complete further investigation, he said. PTI JOP MNB
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