Class 12 student deletes phone data, smashes laptop, then shoots self dead in Greater Noida

NOIDA: An 18-year-old boy allegedly shot himself dead with his father's licensed pistol in his room in Badalpur on Saturday evening, moments after deleting data from his mobile phone and smashing his laptop on the floor.

Devkaran Rawal, who lived in Dhoom Manikpur village of Greater Noida, was a Class 12 student at NTPC School in Dadri. His family includes his parents and a younger brother who is differently abled. His grandfather, a retired Armyman, now farms in the village, while his father works as a property dealer.


Amit Bhadana, SHO of Badalpur police station, said cops received information about the alleged suicide from the hospital where the boy was taken to. "A police team immediately reached the hospital and learnt that the boy had shot himself in the head," he added.

The body was sent for an autopsy, whose reports are awaited, police said.

Initial investigation revealed that Devkaran went to his room on the first floor while his parents were in their room.

"First, he deleted his mobile data and damaged his laptop by smashing it on the floor. After that, he shot himself with his father's licensed pistol kept at home," Bhadana said.

Hearing the gunshot, the boy's parents rushed upstairs and found him lying on the floor, drenched in blood. "Neighbours gathered and took the bleeding teenager to a private hospital nearby, where doctors attempted to save him. But he died during treatment," Bhadana said.

According to cops, no suicide note was found in Devkaran's room. "We are now checking his phone and social media accounts to find out anything about the case," the SHO said.

A senior police officer said the pistol was usually kept in the father's room, inside an almirah. "The parents said they did not know when the boy went to their room and sneaked out with the gun," he added.