A 16-year-old boy was murdered by another minor following weeks of escalating tension over video games in Ghaziabad's Loni.
A 16-year-old boy was murdered by another minor following weeks of escalating tension over video games in Ghaziabad's Loni. The victim, Faizan, a resident of Arya Nagar, was attacked inside a cafe near Naipura Chowk, 500 metres from his home, around 11 am on Wednesday. He was stabbed twice in the abdomen. Faizan was rushed to a nearby hospital and later referred to GTB Hospital in East Delhi, where he succumbed to his injuries by evening.
Police revealed that the fatal confrontation was the result of a bitter rivalry that had been brewing for over a month. The two minors frequently crossed paths at the cafe, where Faizan had been a regular for nearly two years, often playing Tekken 3, a combat game known for its intense one-on-one battles. What started as teasing after a game loss soon turned into taunts exchanged during repeated gaming sessions.
Tensions first flared seriously about a month ago when the accused confronted Faizan at the roadside momo stall where he worked, leading to a heated argument. Just a day before the murder, it escalated further into a physical altercation at the cafe, which had to be broken up by bystanders.
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However, on Wednesday, the accused arrived at the cafe and resumed taunting Faizan, then another fight broke out. According to DCP (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari, a 16-year-old accomplice went to fetch a knife from the accused’s nearby home and handed it to the 14-year-old, who then stabbed Faizan twice in a fit of rage.
Faizan’s father, Naeem, a daily-wage labourer, was unaware of the tragedy until hours later, as he did not own a phone. It was only upon returning home that he learned of his son’s death, eight hours after the attack. The police complaint was filed by Faizan’s elder brother, Mobeen, who said, “Both had a dispute for the last one to two months after my brother lost to him in the game a few times,” he said.
An FIR has been registered under BNS section 103 (murder), and both accused aged 14 and 16 have been apprehended. They will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
ACP Gyan Prakash Rai of Ankur Vihar stated that the 14-year-old accused claimed Faizan had provoked the initial conflict. Meanwhile, a senior officer revealed that the accused’s father and uncle were previously arrested in 2024 for allegedly shooting a labourer dead. While the uncle was recently released on bail, the father remains in custody.
