Boy stoned to death for mobile phone

New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS) A 20-year-old man was arrested here for stoning a 10-year-old boy to death and robbing him of a mobile phone and Rs.50, the police said Saturday.

Sonu was arrested Friday for murdering Vikas, near Madanpur Khadar in southeast Delhi late Monday, the police said.

'Sonu lured Vikas to a vacant plot to take away the mobile phone and Rs.50 that the victim was carrying. Sonu smashed Vikas's head with a stone repeatedly till he died. The accused then took away the phone and cash,' Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast Delhi) Ajay Chaudhary said.

Chaudhary said that Vikas had gone to his get his father's mobile phone recharged when he met Sonu.

'During investigations it was found that the missing mobile phone was being used by Kumed, a resident of the same area. Kumed said that Sonu had sold him the phone,' Chaudhary said.

The police said that Sonu is a school dropout and works as a casual labourer.

In 2008, 518 murder cases were registered in the capital against 467 cases in 2007.