Gzb boy dies after gaming café altercation turns violent; minors apprehended: Cops

GHAZIABAD: A 16-year-old boy was allegedly murdered by a minor following a prolonged dispute over video games at a café in the Loni area of Ghaziabad, police said on Thursday.

The victim, Faizan, a resident of Arya Nagar, was attacked around 11 am on Wednesday at a gaming café near Naipura Chowk, barely 500 metres from his house. He was stabbed twice in the abdomen during a violent altercation.

Faizan was first taken to a nearby hospital and later referred to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in East Delhi, where he succumbed to his injuries later in the evening.

Police have apprehended two minors, aged 14 and 16, in connection with the case. Both will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Investigators said the accused and the victim had been involved in an ongoing feud for over a month, largely fuelled by repeated verbal taunts during gaming sessions at the café. Faizan had reportedly been a regular visitor for nearly two years and frequently played Tekken 3.

The dispute is believed to have begun around six weeks ago after Faizan lost a match to the 14-year-old accused, following which both started exchanging taunts. About a month ago, the accused confronted Faizan at a roadside momo stall where he worked, leading to a heated argument.

Tensions escalated further on Tuesday, a day before the incident, when another altercation at the café turned physical. Although bystanders intervened, the hostility persisted.

On Wednesday, the argument resumed and quickly turned violent. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari, a 16-year-old associate allegedly fetched a knife from a nearby house and handed it to the 14-year-old, who then stabbed Faizan.

Faizan’s father, a daily-wage labourer, was at work at the time and learnt of his son’s death hours later.