Class 9 boy, 14, stabs classmate at Balewadi school over picnic videos; held

A 14-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a Class 9 classmate on her face and chest with a knife on the campus of a private school in Balewadi on Friday afternoon, police said. He was angry over the uproar caused by videos of girls dancing on a school picnic that he had posted on social media.

The girl suffered multiple injuries and was taken to a hospital in Baner. Police said her condition is stable and she is out of danger. Bavdhan police have detained the boy, and the process of registering a case of attempt to murder against him is under way.

Police said the dispute goes back to the school picnic to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani on October 17 and 18. During a programme there, the boy recorded the girls dancing and uploaded the videos to his Instagram account. Other students objected and there was an argument with them. In the end, the boy had to delete the videos.

Police said the boy held a grudge over this and attacked the girl with a knife at around 2.15 pm on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Pradeep Jadhav said the girl is undergoing treatment and her condition is stable. Assistant Commissioner of Police Vitthal Kubde said the boy is in custody and further legal action is under way.

The school administration said the injured girl was given first aid before being taken to hospital. The school has also expelled the accused student under its disciplinary process.

In a statement, the school said campus security is being tightened to prevent such incidents from recurring, including strict checks of senior students' bags. Counsellors have been deployed to give students emotional support, and the school is cooperating fully with the police investigation.

As minors are involved, the school has appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the students concerned.