Mumbai: 17-Year-Old’s Death at Jogeshwari Station Found To Be Suicide After Online Fraud; 8 Booked for Abetment

A police investigation has revealed that the death of a 17-year-old boy at Jogeshwari railway station in January was not an accident, but a suicide triggered by severe mental distress after he fell victim to an online fraud scheme. What was initially recorded as an accidental death (ADR) has now been converted into a suicide abetment case, and the Andheri Railway Police have registered an FIR against eight individuals.

According to the investigation, the boy lost nearly ₹49,000 to a cyber-fraud racket that lured him with the promise of high returns through so-called online “task” activities. The scammers initially paid small commissions to win his trust, but later demanded money for each task, ultimately defrauding him of the entire amount. Unable to recover his money and struggling under mounting psychological pressure, the boy reportedly took the extreme step of jumping in front of a local train.

The deceased, Vighnesh, lived with his parents in Meghwadi in Jogeshwari. His father, Nilesh, works as a driver. Vighnesh was a Class 12 commerce student and also attended extra classes at Deepak Classes in Sarvoday Nagar. After clearing his Class 10 exams, he had been given a mobile phone by his father, through which he created multiple social media accounts.

On 21 January 2025, Vighnesh left home, saying he was going for his usual classes, but did not return even by late evening. His family began searching for him. During this period, they received information about a boy being hit by a train at Jogeshwari station. When the family rushed to Cooper Hospital, the family identified the deceased as Vighnesh. His shattered mobile phone was later repaired and handed over to the police, which enabled access to his WhatsApp and Telegram accounts.

The digital trail exposed the online fraud. The boy had been tricked into performing multiple rating-based tasks as part of a supposed part-time job. The Telegram account names linked to the fraud included identities such as Neha Agarwal alias Sharma, Doris Seth, and Kiran Rao Pandit, among others. The police believe these individuals, along with five others, deceived the boy and pushed him into mental turmoil that ultimately led to his suicide.

After this information came to light, Vighnesh’s father approached the Andheri Railway Police and filed a complaint against all eight accused. Police have now registered a case for cheating and abetment to suicide. Officers from the railway police as well as the crime branch are jointly investigating the case. Nearly eleven months after the tragic incident, the police have finally uncovered the circumstances surrounding Vighnesh’s death and are now conducting a special drive to trace and arrest the accused.