A 21-year-old man was arrested in New Delhi for allegedly kidnapping a minor boy, whom he wanted to gift to his childless uncle, police said on Saturday.

The minor had gone missing while he was playing outside his house in Gautampuri, Part-I, on Sunday. His father approached police after searching for the boy for two days, a senior police officer said.

During the investigation, it was found that the complainant's neighbour had also left the area on the same night and did not return until next morning, the officer said, adding that later they came to know that he had left the capital.

Police tracked down the suspect, who admitted that he had kidnapped the child and shifted him to his maternal uncle’s residence in Aligarh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast) Esha Pandey said.

He further revealed that his uncle’s wife had given birth to four sons none of whom survived and that is why he wanted to present the minor to him, they said.

Police have rescued the child and arrested the uncle-nephew duo.

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