Bengaluru teen death: Pub booked for serving alcohol to minor; police probe suicide angle

Dubai: A Class 10 student died late Saturday night after returning from an outing with school friends in a Bengaluru suburb, with police probing whether he took his own life, NDTV reported.

CCTV footage from the apartment complex on Dr Vishnuvardhan Road reportedly shows the teenager being dropped at the entrance by friends around 9pm, after which he went up alone. Police said he was later found dead, and investigators are examining the circumstances leading up to the incident.

As part of the probe, police found the minor had allegedly consumed alcohol and smoked earlier in the evening at Legacy Brewing Company, following which a case was registered against the pub’s owners and staff for allegedly serving alcohol to a minor.

The pub management has denied the allegation, claiming it did not serve alcohol to the teenager and that he may have brought alcohol with him. Police are now examining CCTV footage from the establishment to verify the sequence of events and cross-check the claims.

Officials said proceedings have also been initiated to cancel the pub’s licence, subject to the outcome of the investigation.

A senior police officer said all angles are being investigated at this stage, including the possibility of suicide.

Investigators are also looking into whether fear of facing family members, academic stress or personal issues may have contributed, police said, adding that more clarity is expected after analysing CCTV footage and recording statements from the boy’s friends and family.