The capital of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, has been left reeling following a bone-chilling act of juvenile brutality where a 16-year-old student was stabbed 27 times in a mere 30 seconds. The assault, which took place inside a snooker club in the Ganesh Chowk area on the night of February 15, is tagged by the police as revenge and carefully planned. Some time before the assault, the victim had apparently slapped the two accused during an earlier confrontation. That single act of anger cost him dearly.
The CCTV footage, which the accused allegedly circulated on social media themselves, shows two minors entering the club dramatically, almost like in a movie. They quickly trapped the victim and attacked him repeatedly with aknofe and a dagger. The speed and ferocity of the attack left the class 10 student with catastrophic injuries, including over ten deep lacerations on one wrist and the severing of two fingers on his other hand, alongside critical wounds to his shoulder and back.
Miraculously, the teenager managed to break away from his attackers and escape the premises, subsequently being rushed to a hospital where he continues to undergo treatment. Investigations by the Gautam Nagar police reveal that the victim and the two assailants were not strangers, they were regulars at the snooker club and attended the same coaching center.
The motive behind this near-fatal encounter appears to be a toxic pursuit of “dominance” and the case has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, not only because of the sheer violence but due to the perceived leniency of the initial law enforcement response.
Since the accused are minors, the case is being processed under the Juvenile Justice Act.While an FIR was registered under Section 109 (attempt to murder) and Section 115 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the two minors were served notices and released shortly after being detained. Sub-Inspector Manipal Singh Bhadoria clarified that the case was initially filed under assault-related sections, with more severe charges pending the final medical evaluation.
The community remains deeply unsettled by the confidence shown by the attackers in broadcasting their crimes, raising urgent questions about how a schoolyard dispute could escalate into such a calculated, life-threatening assault among minors.
