Rs 1.20 Crore Testicle Myth: Fake Instagram Reel Drives Group to Kill Bhopal Teen

A 17-year-old boy was allegedly murdered in Bhopal after police say a group believed an Instagram reel claiming human testicles could fetch Rs 1.20 crore. Police have arrested two adults and detained three minors. Investigators say the victim was lured with Rs 100, killed and his testicles removed, but no buyer emerged.

A bizarre claim circulating on social media is at the centre of a murder investigation in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, where police allege that a 17-year-old boy was killed after a group of young men became convinced that human testicles could be sold for Rs 1.20 crore. The case has raised questions not only about the killing of Rehan, but also about how dangerous misinformation on social media can influence people when it is presented as fact.

WARNING: DISTURBING DETAILS

Zuheb Khan and Amir Qureshi murdered a 17-year-old street vendor and cut off his testicals to sell it abroad for 2 crores (200k USD).

Zuheb posed as a doctor, befriended local minors and offered them money. Both the minors (arrested) lured the boy to… pic.twitter.com/rwXvnoLz17

— Treeni (@treeni) August 17, 2026

🚨BBA student in Bhopal masterminded the killing of a teenage boy after being influenced by a "REEL" claiming human testicles could fetch ₹6 crore. The accused, along with his gang, lured and killed the teen

The group later removed the body part but failed to find any buyer,… pic.twitter.com/qhime4gvXN

— The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) August 18, 2026

Police have arrested 20-year-old Zoheb Khan and 18-year-old Aamir Qureshi and detained three minors in connection with the case, as reported by NDTV. The allegations are still being investigated.

How did the Rs 1.20-crore claim begin?

According to Bhopal police, the alleged conspiracy began with an Instagram reel. Investigators say Zoheb, a second-year BBA student who allegedly presented himself to others as a doctor, watched the video and later showed it to the group.

Police allege that he told the others that the private parts of a teenage boy could fetch around Rs 1.20 crore. His alleged doctor-like appearance, including a white apron and stethoscope, may have made the claim appear more credible to the others, the NDTV report added.

However, investigators say they have found no medical basis for the claim and no evidence so far of a legitimate buyer or organised market offering such money for human testicles. Police also consulted a doctor during the investigation but found nothing to support the alleged claim.

Who was the victim?

Rehan was a 17-year-old who helped support his family by selling pens and keychains around Iqbal Maidan and Moti Masjid.

Police said his father had died and his mother worked as a cleaner at a public toilet. Some of the accused allegedly knew Rehan and had befriended him.

Investigators believe the group wanted to target a boy above the age of 15 because of the instructions they allegedly received after watching the social media content.

How was Rehan allegedly lured?

Police say the plan was put into action on August 6.

Two minors allegedly approached Rehan at Iqbal Maidan and told him they needed help in a fight involving some boys near Khatlapura. They reportedly offered him Rs 100 to accompany them.

Rehan allegedly agreed, unaware that the promised fight was being used as a pretext to take him somewhere isolated.

The group reportedly travelled through Ginnauri and Kilol Park towards Dhobighat near Chhota Talab. Police allege that Zoheb remained in contact with the group by phone and guided them as the plan unfolded.

What happened at Dhobighat?

Once the group reached the secluded area, police allege that Rehan was attacked and killed.

Investigators say sharp-edged weapons were used in the assault. Police allege that, after his death, the group removed his testicles and placed them in a plastic bag.

Police further allege that the accused then contacted Zoheb and tried to follow instructions connected with the supposed sale.

But the promised buyer never appeared.

The alleged hunt for a buyer

The investigation suggests that the group may have believed they had a valuable body part but had not actually established who would buy it.

Police say the body part was allegedly kept for several days while the accused tried to find a buyer. No deal was completed.

Investigators allege that, after failing to find anyone willing to purchase it, the accused eventually threw it into the water.

Police are now examining Zoheb's social media activity and trying to establish where the claim originated, including whether the Instagram reel was simply misinformation or whether someone deliberately promoted the false story.

How did police identify Rehan?

The murder initially came to light without the victim's identity being known.

On August 10, police recovered a decomposed body from the Dhobighat area near Chhota Talab. The body had injuries caused by sharp-edged weapons, and the post-mortem examination indicated homicide.

Police circulated photographs, contacted local residents and carried out door-to-door enquiries to identify the victim. When the identity could not initially be established, the body was buried.

Five days later, on August 15, a woman approached police while searching for her missing son. She identified the body as Rehan, with a distinctive tattoo on his hand helping confirm his identity.

Why the case raises a bigger social media question

The most disturbing element of the investigation is not simply the extraordinary amount allegedly attached to the body part, but the role police say an online video played in shaping the suspects' actions.

There is no evidence that human testicles have a legitimate market value of Rs 1.20 crore. The investigation, as reported by police, has so far found no buyer and no medical basis for the claim.

The Bhopal case therefore offers a grim example of how a sensational social media claim can move beyond a screen and, according to investigators, become part of a real-world crime.

Police are continuing to investigate the alleged conspiracy, the source of the reel and whether anyone else was involved. The charges against the arrested suspects and allegations against the detained minors will ultimately have to be established through the legal process.