Lucknow, May 15 (IANS): The body of a 13-year-old boy was found hanging from a tree with a rope tied around his neck in Khushalhanj village under the Para police circle in Lucknow, police said.

Three labourers working in the area have been arrested for their suspicious role in the incident.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the minor had left the house on a cycle and along with his friend Pawan to play and was seen going towards the mango grove where he was later found hanging.

It further surfaced that the minor and his friend were apprehended on the way by three labourers who suspected the minor and his friend to have stolen money from their houses.

Pawan managed to flee the scene while the minor was caught by the labourers who kept his bicycle with them and asked him to call his family.

The victim left the scene and reached the place again to get his bicycle back. He, however, did not return. He was later found hanging from the tree.

When the residents started assembling at the scene, the suspect labourers, named Romeo, Raju Yadav and Rajendra Rawat, tried to flee but were nabbed by the residents.

DCP, West Zone, Rahul Raj, said the suspects had been accused of killing the minor and hanging him from the tree in the mango grove.

"The body has been sent for autopsy and the suspects are being interrogated," he said.