Sambhajinagar teen deaths put spotlight on smartphone EMI culture

The death of an 18-year-old boy and his parents in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, following a dispute reportedly linked to an iPhone EMI, has drawn attention to India's growing consumer-finance culture. The teenager had bought an iPhone and sought money from his family to meet instalments before the confrontation.

bfsi.economictimes.indiatimes.com reports that smartphones and home appliances were the biggest reasons for consumer borrowing in 2025, with over a third of consumer electronics bought through small-ticket loans. The Reserve Bank of India has allowed lenders to gradually restrict functions of financed devices if borrowers default, but essential functions cannot be shut down, and restrictions must be removed once payment is made.

ndtv.com, in a shorter report, focuses on the ease of access: young buyers walk into stores with basic ID and leave with a device costing more than their family's monthly income. Neither source says the EMI directly caused the deaths, but both highlight cumulative repayment pressure on borrowers, especially younger ones entering the credit system.