Minor killed by cousins in UP over payment of food bill worth Rs 115

The police have detained a minor and arrested his two brothers, aged 18 and 19, on charges of murdering their 15-year-old cousin following an argument over the payment of a Rs 115 food bill in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj.

The four had ordered two plates of egg curry and rice at an eatery. The cousins argued over who would pay the bill of Rs 115, and in a fit of rage, they killed Chandan Lal, the police said.

The victim, who had gone missing from his residence in Ghughuli on Thursday, 14 September, was found dead on Sunday, 17 September, in a banana field near Ahiroli village, following a complaint lodged by his father.

“Based on CCTV footage from the market and information from our source network, we were able to track Chandan’s last location to a roadside eatery in Ghughuli. We also found that his three cousins had been in the area at the time. We questioned them, and they confessed to killing Chandan,” said Maharajganj superintendent of police Kaustubh.

“The accused were identified as Sunny Kumar (19), Shyam Kumar (18), and a 14-year-old,” the police said. The three cousins have been charged with murder. The minor is being held in a juvenile centre, while his two brothers are in police custody.

The official said Sunny told interrogators that whenever they would go out to eat, either he or Shyam would make the payment. Chandan, when asked to pay, would always refuse. On the day in question, Chandan stuck to his usual policy, resulting in a verbal spat between the cousins. Eventually, the three accused slit Chandan's throat and dumped his body in the thickets in Ahiroli, the cousins reportedly told police.