The Santacruz police have arrested a man for allegedly abducting and killing a nine-year-old boy. The incident took place on the evening of Chhath Puja. Police said the accused, identified as Maheshwar Mukhiya, 31, a garment shop worker, abducted the boy on the evening of the festival from near his residence in Santacruz West and strangled him to death.

He later put the body in a sack and dumped it on the roof of a garment factory in Santacruz and fled to Bihar. Police sources have said that the man confessed to wanting to sexually assault the child which is why he lured him. Police said the nine-year-old went missing on November 7, adding that a missing person report was filed on November 8 when the boy’s parents approached them with their complaint.