Wanted Money For Birthday, Bike: 2 Minors Kill Teen Friend For Gold Chain

One wanted to celebrate his birthday. The other wanted to buy a bike. 

To get the money, two minor boys in Maharashtra's Thane allegedly killed their 17-year-old close friend Prajyot Kamble for the gold chain he was wearing. They then allegedly burned his body and threw his mobile phone into a bus in an attempt to mislead the police.

Prajyot, a resident of Azad Nagar in Thane, went missing at around 7:00 pm on September 24. The following day, his father approached the police station, where a kidnapping case was registered.

During the investigation, police questioned one of Prajyot's friends, who allegedly tried to mislead them by claiming that the 17-year-old had gone towards Ghodbunder area on a motorcycle with an unidentified boy.

Police, however, examined footage from around 80 to 90 CCTV cameras along the route and found that his account was false.

Investigators then questioned the same friend again based on technical evidence and mobile location data. During the questioning, the alleged murder plot came to light.

According to police, Prajyot was wearing a gold chain and his two minor friends allegedly hatched a plan to take it. One of them wanted to celebrate his birthday, while the other wanted to buy a bike.

Taken To Secluded Area On Pretext Of Smoking

On September 24, the two boys allegedly took Prajyot to a secluded, bushy area near Brahmand Phase 2 area of Thane on the pretext of smoking cigarettes.

There, they allegedly stabbed him with a knife and crushed him with a stone, killing him.

In an attempt to destroy evidence, the boys allegedly poured petrol over his body and set it on fire.

The accused also allegedly threw Prajyot's mobile phone into a bus so that his location could not be traced, in an attempt to recreate a plot similar to the film Drishyam and throw the police off their trail. Their plan, however, fell apart during the CCTV and technical investigation.

Both minors have been detained and have confessed to the crime, according to police. Further investigation is underway.

Following the incident, Zone 5 Deputy Commissioner of Police Prashant Kadam appealed to parents to closely monitor their children's activities, friends, social media activity and any changes in their behaviour.