Mumbai | December 2, 2025: Nearly a year after a 17-year-old student from Meghwadi, Jogeshwari, died by suicide, the Andheri Railway Police have registered an FIR against eight individuals allegedly involved in an “online task” cyber racket that investigators believe played a direct role in pushing the teenager into severe financial and psychological distress.
The deceased, a Class XII student, had been active on multiple social media platforms and is suspected to have been drawn into a fraudulent online earnings scheme that ultimately led to his death on the railway tracks in January.
Incident: Teen leaves for class, never returns
According to investigators, the boy left home for his regular classes one January morning but failed to return by evening. Repeated calls from his family went unanswered, and his phone remained switched off.
Late at night, an unknown caller informed the boy’s father to rush to Cooper Hospital, where the family learned that a youth had died after jumping in front of a train at Jogeshwari railway station. The family identified the body based on clothing and physical features. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) was initially registered.
Damaged phone becomes the turning point
Senior Inspector Nitin Londhe and his team faced significant challenges due to the condition of the body and limited clues at the scene. However, a broken mobile phone recovered near the tracks became the pivotal evidence.
Technical analysis of the damaged device revealed a trail of apps, chat histories, and online activity suggesting the teen had been targeted by fraudsters operating an “online task” scheme—commonly used to lure victims with small initial rewards before pressuring them into higher payments and fabricated penalties.
Digital trail uncovers financial cheating and mental distress
Investigators discovered that the boy had been manipulated, coerced, and financially cheated by the accused, leaving him under acute emotional stress in the days leading up to his death.
Sources said the digital footprint clearly indicated rising panic, confusion, and mounting pressure from the fraudsters as the teen struggled to manage the financial losses.
After months of analysis and tracing linked accounts, communication patterns, and online identities, police concluded that the scam had a direct role in triggering the teen’s suicide.
FIR registered against eight accused
Based on substantive digital evidence, the Andheri Railway Police have now filed an FIR under sections related to abetment of suicide, cheating, and offences under the Information Technology Act. Efforts are underway to trace the individuals involved, many of whom are suspected to be part of an organised cyber-fraud network.
