A 16-year-old boy in Noida, India, allegedly killed his father with an axe before taking his own life, according to local media reports. The teenager's father, Raju Sharma, was found dead inside the rented home they shared in Noida, near Delhi, after relatives were unable to contact him.
Attack and discovery
Police believe the 16-year-old attacked his father while he was sleeping early on Wednesday morning. According to local reports, the teenager later died on the same day. Officers recovered two mobile phones and keys to the rented property from the boy's bag. He also had his father's phone with him, meaning relatives had been unable to reach Mr Sharma.
It was not until the following day that the teenager's uncle, Arun, began searching for his brother. Later that night, police traced Mr Sharma's home after people living nearby reported a foul smell coming from the locked property. Officers used the keys recovered from the teenager to enter the house, where they found Mr Sharma dead on his bed.
Evidence found at the scene
Police said an axe and blood-stained clothes belonging to the teenager were found inside the property. Two framed photographs of his father had also been placed beside the body. Investigators are now working to establish exactly what happened in the hours before the deaths.
Background and investigation
Mr Sharma, who worked as a tutor and was originally from Bokaro, had lived in Noida since 2005. He and his wife, Ruby, had reportedly been separated since 2014, and he had been living with their son. The father and son had moved into the rented property around three months earlier.
According to neighbours, Mr Sharma was strict with the teenager and rarely allowed him to leave the house. They claimed the father would lock the property when he left to teach students. The boy was also reportedly not attending a regular school. Reports suggest the teenager had become increasingly isolated, while investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.
A murder case has been registered against the teenager following a complaint from his uncle. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Swatantra Kumar Singh said: "We are collecting all evidence and establishing the sequence of events in the case. Further investigation is underway."
