A 10th-grade student from School No. 78, Ali Rajabov, died after a street fight between a group of teenagers in Dushanbe on November 9. According to eyewitnesses, Ali intervened in the conflict at the request of a friend. Another teenager was seriously injured and remains hospitalized. The incident has prompted extensive inspections in schools across the capital.
According to the Dushanbe Police Directorate, the conflict originated from an argument on social media. What began as an online dispute escalated into a violent confrontation.
A teacher from School No. 78 said Ali had a calm character, though he had previously been involved in another incident that resulted in an administrative protocol.
“He could be impulsive, but he wasn’t a troublemaker. He attended classes regularly and was sociable. Not an excellent student, but not a problematic one,” the teacher said.
Following the tragedy, representatives from the district administration, law enforcement, and the prosecutor’s office visited the school. On the day Asia-Plus reporters arrived, staff were preparing for a meeting between students and prosecutors from the Firdausi district.
“He was the family’s only son”
Neighbors described Ali as polite and well-behaved. His parents, both employed, were not home at the time of the incident. The funeral was held on November 10 at the home of Ali’s grandmother.
“His mother was crying; his father shouted: ‘Why did no one save my son?’” neighbors recalled. The fight occurred just 200 meters from the family home.
Who is the suspect?
The main suspect is 10th-grade student Nematjon Rahmatshozoda of School No. 76 in Dushanbe’s Sino district. School officials say they are shocked by the news.
“He was a good boy. The argument started on Instagram. It was a weekend and late at night — parents must be more responsible,” said the school principal, Mohira Safarova.
Teachers describe the suspect as polite and academically average. The injured teen, Sh. Sharifov, previously studied at the same school and is now a student at the College of Computer Technology.
The suspect’s father, Rahmatsho Rahmatshozoda, told Asia-Plus he has not seen his son since the incident.
“He dreamed of becoming a prosecutor, studied well, was weak and often sick. He said a friend called him outside for a minute. No one believes he was capable of this,” the father said.
Rahmatshozoda is now facing charges under Article 104 of Tajikistan’s Criminal Code — murder, which carries a sentence of 8 to 15 years in prison. Investigators are still working to identify all participants.
Police photos show 15 detained minors, though several were later released due to lack of involvement.
Teenagers from multiple schools were reportedly involved. Authorities have held preventive meetings with parents in more than 15 schools in the Firdavsi district.
