A viral social-media hoax about human testicles being worth crores allegedly turned into a murder plot in Bhopal, with police accusing a 20-year-old BBA student of influencing a group that later targeted a minor boy.
The boy was allegedly killed on August 6 after being lured away from Iqbal Maidan, where he sold pens, on the pretext of helping settle a fight. His body was recovered from the Lower Lake area on August 10, according to police cited in reports.
Five people have been held in connection with the case, including two adults and three minors.
How a viral reel allegedly led to the plot
According to Bhopal police, the alleged plan was influenced by a social-media video claiming that human testicles could be sold for a large amount of money.
The alleged mastermind, identified as Joheb Khan, 20, reportedly told others that the body part could fetch around Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 1.5 crore.
The figure is different from the widely circulated “Rs. 6-crore testicle” claim, which refers to a social-media hoax.
Police allege Khan guided the others in the plan but was not physically present when the teenager was killed.
Two attempts allegedly failed
The group allegedly made two attempts before the teenager was targeted.
In the first attempt, the suspects reportedly approached a boy with an offer of Rs. 100 and asked him to accompany them on the pretext of helping with a fight. The boy did not turn up.
During a second attempt, another intended victim allegedly fought back and escaped. Police registered an attempt-to-murder case in connection with that incident, according to reports.
The third attempt allegedly ended in the teenager's death.
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Teenager allegedly lured from Iqbal Maidan
On August 6, two minors allegedly approached the victim near Iqbal Maidan and persuaded him to accompany them, reportedly saying that their help was needed in a fight near Khatlapura.
Police allege that the group subsequently took him towards the Dhobi Ghat area.
The teenager was allegedly attacked with a knife and killed.
Police have also alleged that his testicles were removed after the killing.
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Body recovered four days later
The teenager's body was recovered from the Lower Lake area near Dhobi Ghat on August 10.
It was initially unidentified. The victim was subsequently identified after his mother approached police, with reports putting the identification date at August 15. Reports have differed on the teenager's exact age, describing him variously as 15, 16 or 17. We therefore refer to him as a minor boy rather than using an unverified age.
Police say the alleged plan then collapsed
The alleged plan to make money from the body part did not work out.
According to police, the suspects did not have a confirmed buyer and allegedly did not know how the tissue could be preserved or sold.
The body part was allegedly kept for several days before being disposed of.
Police have arrested two adults, identified in reports as Joheb Khan and Aamir Qureshi, and detained three minors in connection with the case.
The minors have not been identified.
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What is the Rs. 6-crore testicle claim?
The “Rs. 6-crore testicle” claim has circulated on social media, often suggesting that human testicles can be sold for millions of rupees in other countries.
The claim is a hoax.
In the Bhopal case, police allege that the accused were influenced by online misinformation and believed they could make a large amount of money by obtaining and selling the body part.
The alleged figure mentioned by the accused, according to police-linked reports, was around Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 1.5 crore, rather than Rs. 6 crore.
Investigation underway
Police are continuing to investigate the alleged conspiracy and the roles of the five suspects.
The allegations against the accused have not been established in court. The accused are entitled to due process and a fair trial. The case also highlights how apparently absurd misinformation circulating online can have serious real-world consequences when treated as fact.
TL;DR | News At A Glance
A minor boy was allegedly killed in Bhopal in a plot linked to a viral social-media claim about the value of human testicles.
Police allege a 20-year-old BBA student, Joheb Khan, influenced others with the claim.
The group allegedly made two earlier attempts before the killing.
The boy was allegedly lured away from Iqbal Maidan on August 6.
His body was recovered from the Lower Lake area on August 10.
Police have arrested or detained five suspects, including three minors.
Police allege the group could not find a way to sell the body part and eventually disposed of it.
