A 17-year-old boy allegedly stabbed to death a man outside his home in outer Delhi’s Ranhola area after the victim confronted him for harassing his brother’s daughter.

The incident took place around 8.30 pm on Wednesday in Vikas Kunj when the teenager, armed with a knife-like weapon, arrived outside the house of the 27-year-old and picked a fight with the mother of the girl. Police have apprehended the juvenile, a vegetable seller, and two of his associates who were with him at the time of the attack.

“He attacked him in a fit of rage when the victim went to confront the accused, who was trying to misbehave with the girl’s mother. The victim suffered a deep stab wound to his chest and collapsed on the spot,” said an officer. Locals told police that the boy fled after the attack, leaving the victim, Hoti Lal, bleeding profusely. Neighbours rushed him to a nearby private hospital, but he succumbed.

An incident of stabbing was reported at around 8.45 pm, and a police team was immediately rushed to the spot, the officer said. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused had been stalking and harassing the girl for the past two months. “The girl’s family had lodged a complaint at Ranhola police station earlier, alleging that the boy often followed her and even came to their house with a sword and some associates to intimidate them,” said a police source.

Back then, a compromise was reached between the two parties, with the juvenile giving a written undertaking that he would not approach or harass the girl again. Despite the oath, he continued to follow her to tuition classes and loiter near her house with others, the source said.

On Wednesday evening, the boy allegedly turned up outside the girl’s home and hurled abuses at her family. When the girl’s mother confronted him, he reportedly misbehaved with her too.

“Seeing the commotion, her uncle, who lived nearby, came out to intervene and scolded the boy. Enraged, the accused allegedly pulled out a knife-like weapon and stabbed him in the chest,” the source said. Neighbours said the incident was so sudden that no one could react in time. The father of the girl said that the boy had been disturbing his daughter for the last two months.

“The boy even tried to pour petrol on himself some time back. He was obsessed. Last night, my wife scolded him as he refused to move from the house porch. He misbehaved with my wife, and when my brother came downstairs to stop him, he stabbed him,” he said.

The officer termed the killing a likely act of revenge for the police complaint.

The girl said that the boy had been chasing her for the past two months. “The boy followed me constantly. I warned him several times that if he continued, I would report him to my family. But he did not stop. He continued to harass me every single day.” At length, she told her father about the harassment, and after a police complaint was filed, the juvenile desisted.

On Wednesday night, the girl said, her brother had just stepped out of the house to buy some food. She said while he was out, the juvenile called him repeatedly, trying to strike up a conversation. “It was clear that he intended to target my brother. Thankfully, my brother sensed danger and returned home to alert our mother. But the boy followed him to our house,” she said. She described the attack that followed.

“When my mother confronted him at the door, things escalated quickly. Without warning, he suddenly attacked my uncle with a knife. It all happened so fast. My uncle fell to the ground, and blood started pouring from his chest,” the girl said. “He fell immediately, and blood gushed out from his chest. We rushed him to a nearby hospital, but the doctors declared him dead,” he said.

A neighbour shot a video of the attack. “I recorded the incident on my mobile phone. From the video, it is clear that the boy started by hurling abuses at the man, and then, he stabbed him,” the person said.