Charbagh rly stn: Despite 100 CCTVs, high security fails to prevent 5-year-old’s abduction and murder

Despite the presence of over 100 CCTV cameras and the vigilance of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Force (GRP), the horrific abduction and subsequent sodomisation and murder of a five-year-old boy at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow has raised serious concerns about security measures at this busy transit point. The incident unfolded on Sunday night, when the child was kidnapped while resting with his mother, Kanchan, in the waiting area.

The mother, a resident of Pilibanga, Rajasthan, had arrived at the station around 6-7 pm on Sunday, intending to change trains. After falling asleep, she awoke to find her son missing. In a panic, she reported the disappearance to the GRP, but despite immediate searches, there was no sign of Kanchan’s son.

It was not until 9 am on Monday that a tea seller, Sunil, discovered the child’s body inside an abandoned train in the railway yard and alerted the police. “The train had come from the yard and was on shunting when the train was underway when I saw the body and rushed to inform the police,” he said.

According to superintendent of police, Railway Lucknow, Prashant Verma, a suspect identified as Ibrahim, 25, from Lakhimpur, has been arrested.

“Prima facie it appears the case of sodomisation. There are no injury marks on the body, hence, it looks like the child died due to sodomisation. However, a post-mortem report will confirm the exact cause of death,” said Dharamveer Singh, Inspector-in-charge of GRP Charbagh. “The youth is a psychopath and has been sent to jail after being booked under POCSO and unnatural sex,” the station-in-charge added.

Witness accounts indicate that an unidentified man approached the young boy while he was with his mother, enticing him with chips. The subsequent review of CCTV footage by the GRP revealed that Ibrahim exploited a brief moment when the mother was distracted to abduct the child. He then carried the child to a secluded area near the railway yard at the back of the Charbagh railway station, where the horrific crime took place.

CCTV footage shows youth carrying child on back

CCTV footage from Charbagh railway station has surfaced, showing the accused, Ibrahim, carrying the abducted child on his back. The footage has raised further questions about the security at the station.

In an unexpected move, RPF has distanced itself from the case. Inspector Ranjeet Singh of RPF Charbagh stated that the investigation is being handled by the GRP. Prashant Kumar, the station director, confirmed that there are indeed more than 100 CCTV cameras installed at Charbagh, but their effectiveness in preventing the crime has come under scrutiny.

The GRP has revealed that Ibrahim, the 25-year-old accused, frequently roamed around the station and lived near a local dargah. During interrogation, the accused provided several inconsistent statements. Initially, he claimed he was simply “caressing the child” and even fed him. He further stated that he took the child with him, and when the boy began crying, he silenced him by covering his mouth. Ibrahim then claimed the child suddenly fainted and never regained consciousness.