16-Year-Old Boy Dies After Friends Push Him Into Well

A 16-year-old boy died after he was pushed into a well by his friends following an argument. One of the boy's friends was arrested in connection with the incident, police said Monday.

Rehman Ansari was found dead in a well on April 7 in the Indian city of Pune, reports The Times of India. Though it was initially thought to be an accident, police filed a murder case after questioning the victim's friends based on a complaint registered by Rehman's father, Prasanth Vanave.

A 21-year-old man, Rohit Kadam, has been arrested in connection with the murder and a search is on for the other accused.

Police said Rehman had gone swimming with his two friends on the day of the incident. In the evening, his friends rushed to Rehman's house and told his family members that the boy had fallen into a well and drowned. His family had already started a search after Rehman failed to turn up. Rehman's body was recovered from the well the next day.

Police initially thought it was a case of accidental drowning but they became suspicious as the two friends' versions did not match. When questioned further, one of them confessed to the police about the murder.

"We now know that after the swim, the friends fought following which Rohit Kadam pushed Rehman into the well. He sustained severe injuries on the stairs inside the well and drowned. The two friends did not rescue him. The other friend is suspected to have thrown away Rehman’s phone," a senior police official told The Indian Express.

Police said the duo faces charges including murder and destruction of evidence.

A similar case was registered last year in India when a 22-year-old woman was pushed into a well by a man she met on Instagram.

Fortunately, she survived the murder attempt, despite spending three days inside the well without water or food. Police said the man was upset after the victim refused to marry him. The woman, who was already married, has a son.