It was a dispute over Rs 10 that had led to the kidnap and attempt to murder Kalyan resident Ramnaresh Shah. According to senior police inspector D D Gaware of Kolsewadi police station, Ramnaresh had a fight with his classmate over Rs 10 a week before the kidnap. “The boy with whom Ramnaresh had a fight reported the matter to his elder brother who sought the help of third accused Anand Tiwari, 19, to teach him a lesson.”

Goware said it was only after the trio had lured Ramnaresh to a secluded spot at Titwala that the idea of demanding a ransom hit them. “They initially wanted to beat him up. The accused then thought of making a quick buck by demanding ransom from Ramnaresh’s parents. However, when they realised that boy was not rich enough to pay the ransom, they decided to murder him as the boy would have led the police to them.”

The trio first tried to strangulate the boy with his tie and then tried to cut his throat and wrist with a blunt blade and later hurled a big stone on his head. The accused then left the boy assuming that he would soon be dead. The boy then got up and walked on the road to hitch a ride on a truck and later was helped by autorickshaw driver Milind Chowdhary who took him to a hospital and ensured that his parents were informed.