The bodies of two minors strangled to death were found in Badin's Matli town area Saturday after the boys went missing a few days earlier, police said.

The bodies of Govind, 10, and Malhi, 12, were found in a shallow pond near the Tando Ghulam Ali bypass road.

Deputy Superintendent Police Matli Khalid Baloch told Dawn that both boys went missing on Thursday and their bodies were recovered by police and Edhi rescue officials late Saturday night.

Baloch confirmed that the victims were not subjected to sexual assault. However, he believed the two boys were killed by close relatives.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against four accused, including prime suspect Karo Ravro, who has been arrested. The other three suspects were still at large and efforts were being made for their arrest, said police.

"The accused suspected the father of one of the victims of being involved in an illicit relationship with a woman in their family," the DSP said of the motive behind the double murder.

Baloch added that raids were being conducted to apprehend the other two suspects nominated in the FIR.