Hathras, Sep 27 (IANS): In a shocking case, an 11-year-old boy, Kritarth Kushwaha, was brutally murdered in what police have described as a human ‘sacrifice’.

The incident took place in a residential school in Rasgawan village under the Sahapau police station area of Hathras, Uttar Pradesh.

Investigations have revealed that the killing was orchestrated as part of a tantric ritual, purportedly to bring success and fame to the school.

The young victim, a student of Class 2 at DL Public School, was found strangled to death in the school hostel. His body was later discovered inside a vehicle owned by the school management.

Kritarth, a resident of Tursen village, had been missing for a few days before his body was recovered, leading to widespread panic and outrage in the area.

The police launched an investigation, which led to the arrest of five people connected to the case. Those arrested include Ramprakash Solanki, Dinesh Baghel alias Bhagat (school manager), Jashodhan Singh (father of the school manager), Laxman Singh and Veerpal Singh alias Veeru.

The boy's father, Krishna Kumar, had filed a complaint on September 23, on the basis of which police started the investigation. During the probe, the police uncovered evidence which suggested that the killing was part of a sacrificial ritual.

The Superintendent of Police had directed the Sahapau police station to immediately arrest the accused named in the case. Further legal action is being taken by Sahapau Police in this case.

CO Himanshu Mathur has said that Jashodhan Singh, father of school manager Dinesh Baghel, is the mastermind behind the plan.

The local community has been left in shock and disbelief, with many questioning how such a gruesome act could have occurred in a school environment.