Assam: Online gaming linked to death of Guwahati school student, says Police Commissioner Diganta Barah

The lifeless body of a school student was discovered under perplexing circumstances on August 9 in the Bonda area of Guwahati.The victim, identified as Nitish Kumar, was a 10th-grade student enrolled in a city-based school. 

Guwahati Police Commissioner, Diganta Barah, revealed that online gaming had a role in the death of the Guwahati school student. Nitish Kumar and the accused, Abhishek Baruah, were connected through the online game "Free Fire". Their virtual interactions led them to discover their shared locality of Beltola.

Addressing a press conference, Barah disclosed that Abhishek Baruah was employed as a cook at the Accountant General's office canteen in Guwahati.
Nitish Kumar and Abhishek Baruah were acquainted, having initially crossed paths at the AG office bus stand in 2019. Their acquaintanceship evolved, leading to intermittent meetings.

The narrative took a darker turn in 2022 when Abhishek Baruah contemplated launching a restaurant venture. Seeking financial backing, he borrowed Rs 30,000 from Nitish Kumar. The agreement stipulated Abhishek's repayment of Rs 40,000 within a week. Abhishek fulfilled his promise.

Abhishek Baruah had previously siphoned off Rs 16 lakhs from his father's account, funds amassed during his father's tenure at a tea estate in Udalguri. After receiving Rs 4 lakhs from his father to venture into business, Abhishek exploited a signed blank cheque to pilfer a substantial sum from his father's account. He used the money and distributed as interest to various individuals. Nitish Kumar, too, was drawn into this web when Abhishek disclosed his account's balance.

What followed was a cycle of transactions, with Nitish borrowing money from Abhishek, pledging to repay double the borrowed sum. Yet, Nitish's debts accumulated, reaching Rs 90,000. The tragedy culminated on the fateful day when Nitish called Abhishek, announcing his decision to skip school in favor of visiting a waterfall in Bonda. During their outing, a heated discussion over money ensued, triggering Abhishek's rage. Armed with a machete, he impulsively slashed Nitish's throat.