Gujarat: Minor Arrested for Murdering Friend Over Broken Phone Dispute

Valsad, December 1 - A minor in Gujarat's Valsad district has been arrested for allegedly murdering his 16-year-old friend following a dispute over a broken phone. Police disclosed the details of the incident on Sunday.

The accused reportedly broke his friend's phone and, when the victim demanded money for repairs, the confrontation escalated to murder. Authorities revealed that the accused lured his friend to an abandoned building in Pardi town, Valsad, under the pretense of resolving the issue. Once there, the accused pushed the victim into an elevator shaft, causing severe injuries.

The victim’s father reported that his son had left home on the morning of November 27 but failed to return for two days. Later that day, the boy’s body was discovered in the elevator shaft of an industrial building behind Pardi ITI.

Upon launching an investigation, the district crime branch and a special operations group reviewed CCTV footage from the surrounding area. This led to the apprehension of the victim’s minor friend.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to killing his friend due to repeated demands for money to fix the broken phone. Police said the accused lured the victim to the building under the pretense of paying him, then pushed him into the shaft. Afterward, he hit the victim's head multiple times with a brick, concealed the body with bricks and bushes, and fled the scene.

The accused has confessed to the crime, and legal proceedings are underway. Police confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.