Pics by Rons Bantwal

Mumbai, Jul 8: Another minor reported missing on the 6th day of the month. This time, a 13-year-old boy goes missing in Nehru Nagar

It seems that the Kurla killer has struck yet again, albeit with a twist to the tale. This time, a boy has gone missing. The police, expecting that the crime would be committed on July 6, had beefed up security in and around Nehru Nagar, but to no avail. The incident happened right under their noses.

The police was extra careful yesterday, considering all previous instances had taken place on the sixth of the month. Last month, they had received a phone call, where the caller had told them that he would rape and murder again on July 6. Hence, the police, not willing to take chances this time, had increased vigilance in the area.

All seemed to have gone well yesterday, until distraught parents of a 13-year-old boy approached the police at 9 pm. They told the police that their son, Saddam Ansari, had gone missing since July 5, but did not lodge a complaint, hoping that he would return soon. However, yesterday, when Saddam did not come back, fear gripped them and they decided to approach the police.

The police initially denied any such incident, but early on Wednesday confirmed that the family had approached them. However, a police officer said, "I don't think they lodged a complaint. The family was not sure whether the boy had gone missing or was at a relative's place."

The Ansaris are residents of Kasaiwada in Nehru Nagar. Saddam's father, Farid Ansari said, "We checked with our relatives, who all denied having knowledge of our son. We waited for a day, but finally we decided to lodge a missing complaint. The police gave us a chit and noted down our details. They also told us to inform them about even the slightest development." Some friends told the family that Saddam was planning a trip to Ajmer with his friends, but they find it hard to believe. "He always informs us even if he is stepping out of the house, so Ajmer is out of the question. Initially, we thought that he had gone to a friend's place and return by evening. But when he didn't return even by the next evening, we got scared and approached the police," said Parveen Banu, Saddam's mother.

It's a boy this time

This is the first incident that a boy has gone missing, ever since the rape and murders started. On Feb 7, the body of a missing five-year-old girl was found in a gunny bag in a building in Nehru Nagar. Again, On March 7, a nine-year-old girl was found raped and murdered on the terrace of the police quarters opposite Nehru Nagar. All three victims were reported missing on the sixth day of the respective months.

Meanwhile, police and groups of residents could be seen patrolling the streets of Nehru Nagar, armed with sticks.