Police are yet to pinpoint the motive behind the abduction and murder of Satyam Bharti, though they have arrested three friends of the 15-year-old boy whose body was recovered from a field near RPS Mor on Saturday.

The murder of the Class X student sent shockwaves through Bihar in general and Patna in particular, with the Opposition as well as the common city resident saying that the incident was yet another reminder that crime in the state was spiralling out of control.

Police sources said the arrested trio, Pramod Kumar, Niraj Yadav and Ajit Yadav, are changing their statements.

Pramod and Ajit first told their interrogators that they had kidnapped Satyam for ransom.

However, Niraj later claimed that he was upset with Satyam because he used to harass girls from Kotwa, Niraj’s village under the Khagaul police station area near the place where Satyam and the three accused used to go for coaching classes.

“Around a fortnight back, Satyam had allegedly teased a girl at Sharda Tutorials in the Danapur area,” said a police officer close to the investigation.

“The girl is from Kotwa village. As the incident occurred at the tutorial class, Satyam was told to bring his parents which he was avoiding.

“Satyam used to brag to his friends that he comes from a rich family and that his father has so much money that he can buy several such coaching institutes,” the officer added.

This bragging about family wealth, the police believe, sparked the kidnap plan.

Satyam’s father Dr Shashi Bhushan Prasad Gupta is homoeopathic practitioner. The family had recently shifted from the Kanti factory area in Kankarbagh to Balaji City Place, Khagaul.

Police sources said Gupta has a flourishing medical practice, and the family has ancestral properties in Motihari.

The family had received a Rs 50 lakh ransom call, even though the kidnappers had killed Satyam on September 27 itself.

“Satyam, to settle the issue with the tutorial class, decided to take the help of his friends,” added the police officer.

According to police sources, Satyam was to meet Pramod, Niraj and Ajit near Gola Road last Thursday (September 27). The four went to the coaching institute, and Satyam spent 10 minutes inside. From there, the four went to an open field at Kotwa village behind RPS Engineering College.

There, the three youths killed Satyam and threw his body in a well.

“The police are probing the case from both angles — love affair and extortion. However, the criminals are keeping on changing their statement,” Ravindra Kumar, superintendent of police, west, said on Sunday.

A police officer probing the case said Satyam’s body had around a dozen knife injuries, including on his chest, neck, and hands.

“This would indicate that the assailants had deep anger and frustration with the boy,” the officer said.

Aatank raj jab

The Opposition highlighted the abduction and murder in the state capital to target the government over law and order, with RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav declaring that there was “aatank raj” (terror raj) in Bihar and not jungle raj.

“There is “Complete Lawlessness” rather “Aatnak Raj” in Bihar. Who so ever say there is “Rule of Law” in Bihar is making fool of himself. It’s “Rule of the Gun” in Bihar. There is total lack of security and no respect for individual’s life, dignity and property,” Tejashwi tweeted on Sunday.