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Shopkeeper who accused 13-year-old of stealing chips arrested for his suicide: Bengal Police
The FIR against Subhankar Dikshit, also a civic police volunteer, was lodged at Panskura, the police station where he was attached as a civic volunteer
KOLKATA: A shopkeeper in Bengal’s East Midnapore district was arrested on Sunday in connection with last month’s suicide of a 13-year-old boy after being accused of stealing a packet of potato chips, police said.
The shopkeeper, identified by the police as Subhankar Dikshit, was arrested over a fortnight after a 13-year-old boy died by suicide within hours of his humiliation for allegedly stealing a packet of chips.
“Subhankar Dikshit, who owns the shop, was produced before the Tamluk court on Monday and remanded in police custody for 14 days,” a district police official said on condition of anonymity.
The first information report (FIR) against Dikshit, also a civic police volunteer, was lodged at Panskura, the police station where he was attached as a police civic volunteer.
According to a complaint filed by the teenager’s family, the boy had gone to the local market to buy a packet of chips on May 18. It was alleged that the boy saw a packet lying outside Dikshit’s shop and picked it up. Dikshit’s shop was closed at the time.
Dikshit followed the boy on his motorcycle and accused him of stealing the packet. The boy’s mother heard about the commotion and also reached the spot.
The boy was rushed to the hospital after he went home and consumed poison. He died at Tamluk hospital on May 22. Dikshit’s house was ransacked by a mob after he went into hiding.
“The boy’s family complained to Panskura police station on May 25 against Dikshit and members of his family,” the officer added.
Dikshit was arrested late on Sunday night at a location near National Highway 16,
Several people appointed as civic volunteers have been accused of involvement in criminal cases. Among them is Sanjay Roy, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in January this year, for the rape and murder of a 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor at the state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.
Another civic volunteer, Susanta Roy, was arrested after he allegedly threatened a female doctor at the Bhatar State General Hospital in East Burdwan district on August 10 with the same consequence as the Kolkata victim if she did not treat him correctly. Roy was arrested.
On August 18, Md Hasan Gazi, a civic volunteer attached to the Mograhat police station in South 24 Parganas district, was arrested for stealing ₹40,000 from the bank account of a retired sessions court judge by using the his ATM card.
