Palakkad, Kerala: A six-year-old boy who went missing after leaving his home in Chittur, Palakkad, was found dead on Sunday.

The body was recovered from a nearby pond after a 21-hour search operation carried out by the police and fire force.

The child, identified as Suhan, was differently abled and had reportedly gone missing following a scuffle with his brother.

Suhan was the son of Muhammad Anas, a resident of Ambattupalayam in Chittur. Muhammad Anas is currently working in the Gulf, while his mother, Thauhitha, who is a teacher, was in Palakkad at the time.

Suhan and his eight-year-old brother were watching television in the living room of their house, along with the children of Suhan’s maternal aunt. At the time, the children’s grandmother was working in the kitchen.

According to the FIR, he stepped outside the house while playing in the compound at around 1 pm on Saturday and did not return.

The grandmother searched nearby houses but was unable to find him. Local residents later joined the search, and when efforts proved unsuccessful, a complaint was lodged with the police.

Subsequently, the Chittur police and a dog squad searched nearby plots of land, while the fire and rescue services examined nearby ponds, but the child could not be traced. The search was temporarily called off at around 8 pm. Police said the investigation would continue after reviewing CCTV footage from nearby houses. Accordingly, both the examination of CCTV footage and the search operation were resumed on Sunday morning.

Family members and neighbours said Suhan rarely ventured far from his home. Police are investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.