Pune Teen Murder Case: Boy Lured via Fake Social Media Profile, Beaten and Body Thrown into Mutha River

Pune, January 29, 2026: A shocking case of friendship turned deadly has come to light in Pune, Maharashtra. Police have taken three 15-year-old boys into custody for allegedly murdering another boy of the same age and disposing of his body in the Mutha River on January 26, 2026.

The Incident:
According to Senior Inspector Sunita Rokde, the victim’s mother filed a missing person report on Tuesday after her son failed to return home. The boy, who managed his social media account via his mother’s phone, was lured through a fake social media profile created in the name of a girl. The three accused reportedly used the profile to entice their friend to meet them. When he arrived, they brutally attacked him with stones before throwing his body into the river.

Investigation and Clues:
Initial police inquiries suggested a possible romantic angle. However, further investigation revealed that the messages the boy received did not come from a girl; instead, a fake profile had been created using a girl’s name and photo. Digital forensics helped police trace the profile to one of the three 15-year-old suspects. Under interrogation, he admitted that he, along with his two friends, had killed the boy and disposed of his body in the river.

Motive:
The main accused told police that he was upset with the friendship developing between the victim and the girl whose identity they used for the fake profile. He strongly opposed their closeness, which allegedly triggered the brutal crime.

Details of the Murder:
On Republic Day, January 26, the accused contacted the victim through the fake profile and asked him to meet. They took him to a secluded spot near the Mutha River, where they beat him to death with stones and then dumped his body in the river. The victim and the accused all hailed from Kothrud, Pune, and had dropped out of school, engaging in small-scale work to earn a living.

Police and fire brigade teams conducted searches in the river on Wednesday evening, but the victim’s body had not yet been recovered. The case has sent shockwaves through the community, highlighting the dangers of social media misuse and adolescent violence.