A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, for reportedly killing his close friend with a hammer. The teenager admitted to the police that his friend, Abhinav, had taken some photos and videos of his girlfriend from his phone and was using them for blackmail.
Abhinav and the accused were students in Class 11 and 12, respectively, and were neighbors. They were studying for engineering entrance exams and would travel together to a coaching center located about 15 km from their homes. Abhinav would ride his scooter while the accused rode as a passenger.
On Saturday, the two set off for their coaching class, but Abhinav did not come back until late in the evening. When his parents inquired with the accused, he claimed he was unaware of Abhinav’s whereabouts. Abhinav’s father, Sunil Kumar, filed a missing person report that night, expressing suspicion towards the accused.
The police apprehended the accused and reviewed CCTV footage that confirmed the two teenagers were together. During the interrogation, the accused admitted to killing Abhinav.
The accused informed the police that he had videos of his girlfriend stored on his phone. He stated that Abhinav had viewed those videos and transferred them onto his device. Abhinav then began to blackmail his girlfriend, according to the accused. When his girlfriend informed him about this, he devised a plan to kill Abhinav.
On Saturday, the accused told Abhinav that he intended to sell his phone. They visited a shop where they sold the phone for Rs 8,000. After that, they dined at a restaurant. On their way back, they paused near a tubewell. Without warning, the accused pulled a hammer from his bag and struck Abhinav on the head. The accused recounted to the police that he continued to strike Abhinav even after he collapsed.
Authorities returned Abhinav’s body to his family on Sunday. However, his relatives refused to perform his cremation until they received justice. They asserted that the accused could not have murdered Abhinav alone and demanded the arrest of other perpetrators.
“Police should not mislead us. They should disclose the truth about who else was involved. We deserve to understand what happened to our boy,” stated Kuldeep, a relative of Abhinav.
“The accused mentioned that there were videos of him and his girlfriend on his phone, which Abhinav had taken. He was disturbed and planned this. We have recovered the body and the hammer. The accused is currently in custody. Being a minor, he will be presented in court. We will analyze the CCTV footage to determine if anyone else participated in the crime and will take appropriate measures. The family is insisting on action against all involved, and we will comply,” said Meerut City SP Ayush Vikram Singh.
