Patna, April 4: Twelve-year-old Rajesh Kumar, who was found dead in a tank at a remand home, might have been sodomised or even beaten up, police said.

Rajesh, a resident of Hajipur, who was brought to the correctional centre on March 29, suddenly went missing the next day, prompting the authorities to file a missing report with Alamganj police.

Last night, inmates complained about a stench from the water tank. The authorities called the Alamganj police who opened the tank and found Rajesh’s body.

Rajesh had been sent to the remand home on charges of theft in trains and at railway stations.

“At this moment it is difficult to say anything. But the police are keeping all options open and the case is being investigated. The matter would be solved soon. The police are working on the leads and the case will become clear in some time. In the meantime, the body has been sent for post-mortem,” deputy superintendent of police (Patna City) Sushil Kumar said.

The remand home houses 81 juvenile delinquents and its total strength is 96, police sources said.

Sources added the boy could have been beaten up badly which led to his death.

“Though the matter is being investigated, there could be a chance that Rajesh was badly beaten up by other inmates of the remand home the same night. The beating might have been very severe which caused his death. Then in order to hide the body they might have dumped it in the water tank. The lid of the tank was closed when police reached there. This means that he did not fall into it by accident,” the source said.