Nagpur: In a chilling case that underscores the alarming rise of juvenile involvement in violent crime, Ajni police have detained 13 minors, including two with alleged links to earlier murder cases, for the brutal killing of a 22-year-old vegetable vendor over a mere Rs 100 dispute.
The victim, Sagar Salame, a resident of Sonjhari Nagar near Bhande Plot, was stabbed to death on Wednesday evening, while his friend Harshal Shinde remains critically injured and is undergoing treatment at Government Medical College and Hospital.
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According to investigators, the murder was rooted in a minor altercation over Rs 100 during a ganja transaction near Bhande Plot Chowk a few days prior to the incident.
Police said one of the juveniles had allegedly paid extra money, leading to a heated argument during which Sagar reportedly assaulted one of the boys with a stick. What seemed like a trivial clash soon turned into a calculated act of revenge.
The accused minor allegedly lured Sagar to Jadu Mahal Chowk in Vishwakarma Nagar under the pretext of settling the dispute, but instead, it became a trap.
On Wednesday evening, Sagar arrived at the spot riding pillion on Harshal’s motorcycle. Moments later, the confrontation escalated rapidly.
In a coordinated attack, one of the minors allegedly stabbed Sagar in the chest. Despite suffering a critical injury, he attempted to escape, running towards Bajrang Nagar. He collapsed in Galli No. 7, where he later died from excessive bleeding.
Harshal, who tried to intervene, was also assaulted and sustained serious injuries. He is currently battling for life in the trauma care unit.
Swift police action
Acting swiftly, Ajni police launched an intensive probe, scanning CCTV footage from multiple locations. Within hours, all 13 accused, all minors from the same locality, were identified and rounded up.
In a rare and disturbing development, police noted that this could be the first instance in Nagpur where 13 juveniles have been named in a single murder case.
The accused have been sent to a government shelter home and will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.
Senior officers, including Zonal DCP Rashmitha Rao and Senior Inspector Nitin Rajkumar, inspected the crime scene and met the victim’s grieving family.
Preliminary findings indicate that revenge was the primary motive, with officials pointing out how a negligible financial dispute spiralled into a fatal and premeditated assault.
This case has sent shockwaves across the city, not just for the brutality of the crime, but for the sheer number of minors allegedly involved.
What began as a Rs 100 argument has ended in a young life lost, raising serious questions about rising aggression, substance abuse, and the growing criminal drift among juveniles.
