GHAZIABAD: A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death by a minor following an escalating dispute over video game taunts at a café in Loni, police said.
The victim, Faizan, a resident of Arya Nagar, was attacked around 11 am on Wednesday at a café near Naipura Chowk, about 500 metres from his home. He was stabbed twice in the abdomen and rushed to a nearby hospital before being referred to GTB Hospital in Delhi, where he succumbed to his injuries later in the day.
Police have detained two minors, aged 14 and 16, in connection with the incident.
According to investigators, the boys had been frequenting the café for gaming sessions, often playing Tekken 3. A rivalry had developed over the past one to two months, marked by repeated taunts and arguments after wins and losses.
The conflict had escalated earlier this week. On Tuesday, a physical altercation broke out at the café but was defused by others present. However, tensions flared again the next day.
DCP (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said that during the confrontation on Wednesday, a 16-year-old associate of the accused went to a nearby house—belonging to the 14-year-old—retrieved a knife, and handed it to him. The younger boy then allegedly stabbed Faizan twice.
Faizan’s family said he had been working at a roadside momo stall and regularly visited the café for the past two years. His father, a daily-wage labourer, learned of the incident hours later after returning home, as he did not have a phone. The complaint was filed by Faizan’s elder brother.
Police have registered a case under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). As both accused are minors, they will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
During questioning, the 14-year-old claimed he had been provoked. Police also noted that members of the accused’s family had prior criminal cases, though investigations are ongoing.
