Silchar, Aug 8 (IANS): A five-month-old baby was kidnapped for ransom and later murdered, following which three persons have been arrested, police said on Saturday.

Police said that Dhrubajyoti, whose father Debojyoti Nath is a motor mechanic, was abducted from their house at Kazidahar in southern Assam's Cachar district late Tuesday night while he was asleep beside his parents.

The infant was constantly crying in the custody of the kidnappers, who then strangulated him and buried the body under a bridge at Amjurghat, about 7 km from Kazidahar, the police said.

The kidnappers contacted the parents on Wednesday and demanded Rs 10 lakh for handing back the child but reduced the demand to Rs 1.5 lakh after negotiations.

"When a woman relative of the family went to a tea garden on Friday to hand over the money, police personnel in disguise arrested the culprits, who admitted to their crime," a police official said.

Police is now looking for a few other accused in the case.