MANSEHRA: A young boy was killed after having been sexually assaulted by his four companions in Pulrah area of Mansehra district, police said on Friday.

“We have arrested four suspects for assaulting a young boy and then strangling him and dumping his body in a stream,” DSP Bashir Khan told a press conference in Pulrah police station.

He said body of the victim aged 12 was found in a stream near Pulrah close to the victim’s house on Friday, and police shifted it to the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital for autopsy, which confirmed the victim was sexually assaulted before being killed.

The DSP said the incident occurred a couple of days ago, adding an investigation team led by Sub-Inspector Mohammad Saleem probed the murder and arrested the suspects named Mohammad Ayaz, Mohammad Waqas, Mohammad Saqib and Mohammad Siddique.

The police officer said Mohammad Saleem had lodged an FIR with Pulrah police about the culprits taking his son with them from his house.