Thiruvananthapuram: The family of a 17-year-old boy, whose body was found stuffed inside a sack in an isolated plot at Pangappara near Sreekaryam here, has sought answers about what led to his killing, as police question several people, including minors, in connection with the case.

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"We are not asking for anything else. We just want to know what our child did wrong. He was still studying. All we want is to know what happened to him," a family member said.

"Perhaps he had fallen in love with girls. We are not denying that. But is this the way to deal with such a matter? Just tell us what mistake he made. When we have to take our child to the grave, all we want to know is what he did wrong," the family member added.

The boy, identified as Abhiram, had been missing since Sunday afternoon. His parents approached the Sreekaryam police after he failed to return home. His body was found on Monday among banana plants in a deserted plot, nearly two kilometres from the main road.

According to reports, Abhiram left home around 3 pm on Sunday, telling his family that he was going to meet a friend. He later called his father and said he would return soon. His phone was switched off thereafter, prompting the family to lodge a missing-person complaint.

A preliminary examination indicated that the boy had been strangled, a police officer said. His body was recovered during the investigation after some of his friends were questioned.

Several people, including minors, have been taken in for questioning. No arrests have been made so far, and police are yet to establish the motive behind the killing.

Investigators are examining reports that an Instagram message was sent from a girl's account asking Abhiram to come to the location. There are also unconfirmed reports about the possible involvement of a girl, another minor boy and an adult in the incident. Police have not officially confirmed these details.

Some of the boy's friends were reportedly familiar with the area and used to visit it. A few of them had searched the surrounding area on Sunday but apparently failed to notice the body.

Police and forensic experts examined the crime scene and collected evidence. Further details are expected after the post-mortem examination. The investigation is continuing.