A 12-year-old boy, who went missing on Tuesday evening from Chikkahonnenahalli in Hassan taluk, was found dead beside a railway track on Wednesday afternoon, police reported. Initially suspected to be a leopard attack, the case is now being treated as an unnatural death.
The deceased has been identified as Kushal Gowda, son of Rupa and Venkatesh, residents of Chikkahonnenahalli.
Hassan rural police inspector DC Manju stated, “We registered a missing person case based on a complaint by the deceased’s father, Venkatesh, on Wednesday.”
According to the father, Kushal was playing hide and seek with other children near his house when he went missing around 5:30 pm on Tuesday. Despite a thorough search by his parents and villagers, he could not be found.
Based on information from neighbors, forest officials began searching for the boy. The police were later involved, and the search continued until 9 pm, the officer said.
The search resumed on Wednesday morning, but there were no signs of Kushal. Given the recent increase in leopard sightings in the area, villagers initially suspected a leopard attack.
“A railway gangman, who regularly passes by the track at around 8:30 am, did not notice the body in the morning but found it at 1:30 pm, which raises suspicion. We have registered a case of unnatural death and launched an investigation. We are collecting CCTV footage from nearby areas,” the officer added.
