The alleged killer abductors of a 16-year-old boy here — one of them being the victim's classmate and two other minors who had demanded a ransom of Rs. 50,000 — were inspired by a crime-based TV serial ‘CID.'
The boy was kidnapped on Saturday from Dighi area and taken to a nearby hill where he was strangled to death.
The accused then made a call to his father demanding Rs. 50,000 which was later brought down to Rs. 15,000, police said on Sunday.
“The boy's father paid the money to the abductors at around 10.30 p.m. but his son was not released by them following which he approached the Vishrantwadi police,” said Police Inspector (Crime) Pandurang Gofane.
Acting on the complaint, police arrested the three who confessed to the murder, he said, adding the accused have been booked under Sections 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder), 383 (extortion), 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police have withheld the identity of the accused.
The boy was a student of an English medium school in Bhosari area and had appeared for his class 10 examination this year.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 4) Sanjay Jadhav said the three accused would keenly follow serial ‘CID' based on real crime incidents. “They decided to abduct the son of a jeweller first. However, they could not succeed in their plan,” he said.