The main objective of the crime was to get an upcoming examination postponed. Pradyuman was killed just because he happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
*Updated copy: After the CBI detained a Class XI student for his involvement in the Pradyuman Thakur murder case, he reportedly admitted to his crime today.
“I went blank, just did it,” blurted out the student during the CBI interrogation. The main objective of the crime was to get an upcoming examination postponed — and Pradyuman’s mere presence near the toilet made him the unfortunate target.
The accused had on the previous day purchased the knife used to slit the throat of the 8-year-old boy. He accused admitted that he was waiting in the toilet, and when he saw Pradyuman enter, it was a spur-of-the moment decision to kill him.
Though the target had not been pre-identified, the act of murder seems to have been planned, as the accused told his friends a few days before the murder that the upcoming examinations would be cancelled.
On September 8, he was carrying the murder weapon with him to school.
Today the CBI team took the accused to Sohna Road for identifying the shop from where he had purchased the knife. However, the shopkeeper identified by the student as seller said he could not recollect selling it to the accused. He added that production of the specific model had been stopped about a month back. It is important to note that the murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur took place on September 8.
The knife seller's denial also makes the murder weapon of questionable evidence.
In the meantime, the CBI has not found any evidence to implicate Ashok Kumar, the bus conductor previously accused of the murder. His family is relieved and are planning to sue Gurgaon Police for defamation.
Further, Mohit Verma, Kumar's defence counsel, said, “I will apply for his bail tomorrow.”
The accused is now in CBI remand and is to be produced before Judge Devinder Singh on Saturday.
