A teenager was apprehended for allegedly killing a boy two months ago, believing that their boarding school would be forced to shut down after the death, allowing him to go home, police in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras said on Thursday.

Police had earlier said that on September 26, a 9-year-old boy’s body was found in the backseat of the school director’s car. They suspected that the director and his family had ‘sacrificed’ the boy to bring fame to the school and resolve family issues. 

Following this, five people were arrested on charges of murder and tampering with evidence. 

However, on Thursday, Superintendent of Police, Chiranjeev Nath Sinha said that they conducted interviews with the other students and found that a 13-year-old boy had been asking classmates how he could get the school closed.

During questioning, he confessed to killing the victim using a towel, he said.

“He thought that with the child’s death, the school would be forced to shut down and he would be able to leave,” Sinha said.

CCTV footage revealed the suspect walking around with a towel before the incident. After the alleged strangulation, the teenager reportedly asked a friend to sleep next to him, claiming to be scared.

The suspect is currently in juvenile detention and an investigation is underway. 

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