In a heart-wrenching incident from West Medinipur, West Bengal, a 12-year-old boy named Krishnendu Das allegedly died by suicide after being publicly humiliated by a local shopkeeper over a suspected theft.
Accused of Theft, Forced to Do Sit-Ups on the Road
According to the police, Krishnendu had gone to buy chips from a shop in Gosaibar Market, located in the Panskura area. He repeatedly called out to the shopkeeper, Shubhankar Dixit, saying, “Uncle, I want to buy chips,” but received no response. After waiting for a while, the boy picked up a packet of chips and walked away.
Citing the family’s complaint, the police said Dixit ran after the child, slapped him, and forced him to do sit-ups in front of a crowd. The boy’s mother was later summoned to the scene. Instead of defending him, she scolded and slapped him too.
Krishnendu’s Side of the Story
Krishnendu explained that he had found the chips packet lying on the road and intended to pay later. He apologized and offered to pay on the spot. However, the shopkeeper insisted he was lying and continued to humiliate him.
Suicide and a Note That Tells All
Deeply hurt, Krishnendu returned home with his mother, locked himself inside a room, and refused to come out. A while later, the family broke open the door and found the boy unconscious, with foam around his mouth and a half-empty bottle of pesticide nearby. He was rushed to Tamluk Hospital and admitted to the ICU, but succumbed to poisoning shortly after.
Police recovered a handwritten note in Bengali near his body. It read:
“Maa, I am not a thief. I did not steal. Uncle (shopkeeper) was not around when I was waiting. While returning I saw a packet of Kurkure lying on the road and picked it up. I like Kurkure very much… These are my last words before leaving. Please forgive me for this act (consuming pesticide).”
Shopkeeper Missing, Crowd Gathers
Following the incident, the shopkeeper, who also serves as a citizen volunteer with the Bengal Police’s traffic wing, went missing. A large crowd gathered outside his closed shop, demanding justice. Police have launched an investigation into the case.