Guwahati, Dec 21: The Assam Police have detained a suspect in connection with the brutal murder of two minor siblings in Tangla on Saturday.

The accused, reportedly a stepbrother of the victims, has been apprehended, and the weapon used in the crime has been seized.

Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh confirmed the development on social media, saying, “The weapon of offence has been seized, and evidence is being collected as per procedure.”

The victims went missing on Friday while on their way to school from the Jorpukhuri area.

Their absence was first noted by their headmaster, who informed the parents after the boys failed to appear for a school examination.

After a frantic search by the family, an FIR was lodged, prompting Udalguri police to launch an investigation.

Later, the siblings’ bodies were discovered on Saturday in a dense forest a few kilometres from their home, their throats slit.

Local residents expressed shock at the heinous crime. “We never imagined the stepbrother could commit such an act. He lived among us and was even enrolled in a nearby college for graduation,” a relative of the deceased remarked.

“To help in the investigation a CID team is also coming, we found some leads but now we cannot disclose it,” Pushkin Jain, Superintendent of Police, Udalguri.

Meanwhile, DGP GP Singh further added that the IGP of the Bodoland Territorial Region and SP Jain, will provide further details about the investigation during a media briefing.

The gruesome murders have cast a shadow of fear and mourning over the community, raising concerns about child’s safety in the region.