A 12-YEAR-OLD boy has allegedly been beaten to death at an Indian village court, after a shopkeeper accused him of stealing biscuits.
The incident took place at Thadi village in eastern Bihar’s Purnia district on Sunday, Gulf News reports.
Local merchant Ajay Yadav accused two boys, Pintu Kumar, 13, and Chhotu Kumar, 12, of stealing from his shop on Friday night, and a village court was hastily convened.
At the court, the children confessed to the theft and were ordered to be hung upside down and beaten in the presence of the 'judges'.
The boys were stripped of their clothes and beaten severely. Chhotu died as a result of his injuries and Pintu was severely injured.
Pleas from the boys' parents for the court to show mercy were met with a demand to pay a fine of 10,000 rupees ($182). The parents are said to have agreed, seeking an extension of two days to pay the penalty, which the court declined.
Local police are seeking eight people in connection with the events. "The incident is quite serious as the villagers have taken law into their hands. We are not going to spare any of them," the local district superintendent of police Ajit Kumar Satyarthi said.
According to Superintendent Satyarthi, the children had stolen a few packets of biscuits, some chewing tobacco and petty cash.
Biscuit thief, 12, 'beaten to death' in Indian village court | News.com.au