Bahraich (Uttar Pradesh): In a shocking incident, two minors aged 14 and 16 allegedly murdered a man to steal his iPhone, with the motive of creating high-quality social media reels to gain more likes and followers, police reported on Saturday.
The victim, Shadab, a resident of Bengaluru, had travelled to his ancestral village Nagaur in Bahraich to attend his maternal uncle’s wedding. The crime occurred on the night of June 20, and his body was discovered the next day near a dilapidated tube well in a guava orchard on the village outskirts.
“Shadab’s throat was slit with a knife and his head was later crushed with a brick,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha.
🔍 Details of the Crime:
According to police, the two teenagers had been planning the murder for four days, deliberately targeting Shadab for his iPhone.
On the night of the incident, they lured him to a secluded area under the pretext of making social media reels, where they carried out the brutal assault.
Both minors confessed during interrogation, revealing they wanted a high-end phone to produce better-quality content on social media platforms.
🧾 Case Developments:
- Evidence recovered includes the stolen iPhone, the knife used in the murder, and the bloodstained brick.
- A case has been registered under Sections 103 and 238 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita against four people, including the two juveniles and their family members.
- One relative, accused of helping conceal the murder weapon, was arrested and sent to jail on Friday.
- The search continues for a fourth adult accused believed to be involved in the cover-up.
Both minors have been sent to the Divisional Juvenile Reform Home in Gonda, confirmed Station House Officer Daddan Singh.