A class 9 student was stabbed to death during a Durga idol immersion procession in northwest Delhi’s Pitampura after an alleged dispute linked to a social media comment, police said. Four juveniles have been apprehended in connection with the incident, and a second teenager was injured.
The stabbing took place on Tuesday evening in the FP Block area of Pitampura, where the deceased, identified as Arun, and his friend Ashu were participating in the procession. Police said they received information about the attack and reached the spot soon afterwards.
Arun was taken to BSA Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Ashu was admitted with stab wounds, according to the police. In his account, Ashu said the incident occurred after 7.30 pm, when he was separated from the procession because of traffic. He said some boys approached him and stabbed him in the thighs.
Ashu told police that he abandoned his motorcycle and tried to escape, but then saw the attackers assaulting Arun. He said there were at least six people involved, although he could identify only two of them.
According to the account reported by police, the dispute was connected to a comment made around a year ago on a girl’s Instagram post. The police have not publicly identified the juveniles in the report, and the circumstances leading to the confrontation remain under investigation.
Arun’s father, who works as a rickshaw driver, said his son had left home to watch the immersion procession near the Pitampura Ramleela Ground. He said he learnt about the incident later while he was working and did not know the accused. The family described Arun as innocent.
Police said the alleged assailants were identified through technical surveillance and local inquiries. Four juveniles, all residents of the area, have been apprehended. Investigators also recovered a blood-stained dagger allegedly used in the crime.
An FIR has been registered at Maurya Enclave Police Station under Sections 103(1) for murder, 109(1) for attempt to murder and 3(5) for common intention of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the police said.
The incident occurred during a public procession, where movement was affected by traffic and large gatherings. The police investigation will establish the individual roles of those apprehended, the sequence of the attack and the precise circumstances surrounding the earlier social media dispute.
