The parents of teenaged boy Adnan Patrawala who was murdered by his kidnappers on August 19, on Tuesday blamed the media and police for the death of their son.
"Media hyped the issue too much and should have waited while the police were investigating the case. It was the question of an innocent boy's life or death. The kidnappers killed him after panicking, once the news was flashed in the media," Aslam Patrawala told reporters outside his building in suburban Andheri.
Stressing that the police should have been more alert, Patrawala also demanded that the police official who leaked the news to the media should be removed from service.
The media must be more concerned and responsible in such cases and it was because of their competition that we suspect the incident occurred, he said.
An emotionally charged Patrawala, who was accompanied by his wife Lubna, also demanded that those involved in the murder must be hanged in public.
He, however, denied allegations that Adnan was a pampered kid and said, "We had brought him up very carefully and he knew the value of money. Adnan had a learner's license and drove better than me. Adnan was an innocent boy and those around him pretended to be rich due to which, he socialised with them. Even when he was kidnapped, he did not know about it."
Four of Adnan's acquaintances have been arrested by the police so far and the investigators claim to have a tight case against the accused.
Adnan was allegedly strangulated in the rear seat of his car by his friends who had kidnapped him after the news of abduction was flashed in the media.
