A heart-wrenching incident has shaken the Gosai Bazar area of West Bengal's Medinipur district, where a 12-year-old boy died by suicide after being publicly humiliated and beaten by a shopkeeper who accused him of stealing a packet of chips.
The boy, a Class 7 student, had gone to a local grocery shop on Thursday evening to buy chips. According to police reports and the family's complaint, he repeatedly called out to the shopkeeper, Shubhankar Dikshit, saying, “Uncle, I want to buy chips.” When no one responded, and assuming no one was present, the boy picked up a packet of chips lying in a heap outside the shop and left, intending to pay later.
The shopkeeper allegedly followed him, caught hold of the boy, slapped him, and forced him to do sit-ups on the street in front of passersby. He accused the child of lying and stealing, despite the boy’s repeated pleas that he was not a thief and had planned to return and pay.
Mother's reaction and the final moments
Police stated that the boy’s mother was called to the scene. Under emotional strain, she also scolded and slapped her son. The child insisted that he had picked up a junk food packet from outside the shop and had no intention of stealing it. He offered to apologize and pay immediately but was not believed.
The emotional distress led the boy to lock himself in his room upon returning home with his mother. When the family noticed a long silence, they broke the door down, only to find the boy lying unconscious, foam coming from his mouth. A partially empty bottle of pesticide was found beside him.
Suicide note reveals innocence
The boy was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead shortly afterward. A suicide note written in Bengali was recovered. In it, the boy wrote: "Ma, I am not a thief. I did not steal. When I was waiting, uncle was not there. While leaving, I saw the chips packet lying outside and picked it up. I really like chips. These are my last words. Please forgive me for what I’ve done.”
Public outrage and police investigation
The incident has sparked widespread outrage across the region. Child rights activists and members of the public are demanding justice, action against the shopkeeper, and accountability for those who publicly humiliated the child.
Police have launched an investigation, and preliminary reports confirm the presence of the suicide note and pesticide. Statements from the family and witnesses are being recorded.
This tragedy raises serious questions about how children are treated in our society and underscores the devastating consequences of public shaming, especially when inflicted on young minds.
(PTI inputs)
