Lucknow: In a macabre turn of events, a small tiff between friends on a WhatsApp group led to the death of a 19-year-old boy while two others were injured in Jankipuram district of Lucknow on Thursday.

The main accused, along with four minor boys, was arrested in the case on Sunday and sent to a juvenile home. The deceased boy was identified as Swapnit Srivastava while the two injured were identified as Sarthak Mishra and Abhay Pratap Singh.

Police investigations revealed that Suraj, the prime accused, along with Abhay and Sarthak, was a part of a WhatsApp group which was ‘administered’ by a girl. The trouble began when the girl allegedly exited the group because of something Abhay wrote, after which Suraj began to threaten him. According to police sources, the attacks on the three boys were fuelled by the arguments that took place on WhatsApp.

Swapnit and his two friends Sarthak and Abhay were attacked by a group of young boys while they were on their way to a common friend’s house. The three boys were allegedly thrashed with sticks and iron rods after a verbal spat.

“Three boys Swapnit, Abhay and Sarthak were attacked on Thursday. While Abhay and Sarthak survived the attack, Swapnit succumbed to his injuries on late Friday night at King George Medical University,” Police Station, Inspector Umakant Deepak said.

“Swapnit’s father has lodged an FIR under sections 304, 308 and 323 of IPC against Suraj and 25 unidentified people. The prime accused Suraj and four minors who were arrested are aged between 15 and 16 years and have been sent to juvenile home,” he added.

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