Haryana Shocker: 1-Year-Old Kidnapped and Murdered by Mother’s Social Media Friend in Pinjore; Body Recovered After 8-Hour Search

Panchkula, January 25: A one-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by his mother’s friend in a chilling incident that has shaken the city. The accused, an auto-rickshaw driver from Pinjore, reportedly abducted the toddler from a creche in Sector 12-A on Saturday morning by posing as the child's father. Following an intensive eight-hour search, police recovered the child’s body from under a culvert near the Sukhomajri bypass.

The victim, identified as Riyan, was the son of Laxmi, a resident of Dera Bassi. According to police reports, Laxmi had dropped her son at the creche on the morning of January 24. Shortly after, the accused, identified as Ajay Rana, arrived at the facility and claimed to be the boy's father to gain custody. When Laxmi returned to the creche and discovered her son was gone, she immediately alerted the authorities. Instagram Romance Turns Fatal: 23-Year-Old Woman Arrested for Strangling Fiancé to Death in Vadodara Over Suspected Infidelity and Engagement Breakup.

The Panchkula police activated multiple crime units and registered a kidnapping case at the Sector 14 police station. After reviewing CCTV footage from the area, investigators identified Rana as the prime suspect. While he initially attempted to mislead officers during questioning, police say he eventually confessed to the crime.

Rana reportedly told investigators that he had befriended Laxmi through Instagram. According to his statement to the police, he "did not want her child" and had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate him. On the day of the incident, he took the boy in his auto-rickshaw, strangled him with a cleaning cloth, stuffed the body into a plastic bag, and threw it from a culvert near Rampur Siudi village. Chikkamagaluru Shocker: 21-Year-Old Man Stabbed to Death Over Instagram Birthday Wishes to Ex-Girlfriend, Fiance and Brother Arrested.

ACP (Crime) Arvind Kamboj confirmed that the auto-rickshaw used in the crime has been recovered. Rana, who is reportedly involved in several other criminal cases, was produced in court on Sunday and has been sent to a four-day police remand. Authorities are currently investigating whether any other individuals were involved in the conspiracy. The child’s post-mortem was conducted at the Civil Hospital in Sector 6, and the body has since been handed over to the family.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 25, 2026 09:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).