Bathinda: The body of a 19-year-old boy was found near the Jahaz Ground in Faridkot late Friday evening. While the police suspect substance abuse, the family members claimed Daksh was murdered and refused to perform the last rites.They demanded a probe to uncover the circumstances leading to the boy’s death.Daksh went missing around 6:30 pm on Friday, and his body was recovered three hours later from the Jahaz Ground.A case has been registered under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.According to the victim’s father, Devinder Pal, Daksh picked up short-term jobs to support the family after completing Class XII. He was currently running a rakhi stall.On Friday, he left the rakhi stall around 6.30 pm and went missing. We searched for him for a long time and made enquiries about his whereabouts from his friends, but found no trace of him, said Devinder.His body was recovered around 9:30 pm. His lips had turned blue, and his clothes were torn, he added.The father said the police attributed the death to substance abuse, but the family had never seen Daksh consume drugs. He claimed someone had killed Daksh and dumped his body. Devinder demanded a thorough investigation into the case.SHO, Faridkot City-2 police station, Akalpreet Singh said initial information suggested the boy occasionally used drugs. The cause of death will be known once we receive the viscera report. If the family suspects foul play, they should record their statement, based on which further action will be taken, the SHO added.Faridkot DSP Tarlochan Singh said the police were looking into the matter and had registered a case under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Further action will be taken according to the outcome of the investigation, he said.
