Juvenile kills self in Bihar correction home, 10 inmates escape: Police

Following the incident, at least 10 inmates managed to escape from the facility. The custodial death brought district officials on their toes and Bhojpur district magistrate Roshan Kushwaha ordered a probe into the matter.

A 16-year-old boy, accused of abducting a girl, allegedly killed himself at a correction home in Bihar’s Bhojpur district late on Friday evening under mysterious circumstances, officials said. The family members, however, alleged murder.

The deceased is a resident of a village under the town police station of Buxar district. He was brought to the facility located at Dhanpura under the jurisdiction of the town police station on October 6.

Following the incident, at least 10 inmates managed to escape from the facility. The custodial death brought district officials on their toes and Bhojpur district magistrate Roshan Kushwaha ordered a probe into the matter.

According to the assistant director, Child Protection Unit, Bhojpur, Binod Kumar Thakur, the deceased is a resident of a village under the town police station of Buxar district. He was brought to the facility located at Dhanpura under the jurisdiction of the town police station on October 6.

Thakur said as per routine, the pre-dinner counting of inmates took place around 7.30 pm. All the inmates then reached the mess for dinner. After taking dinner, the boy went to the bathroom on the first floor of the correction facility. He locked the door from inside and hanged himself with the help of a towel.

The incident came to light when other inmates found the bathroom locked from inside and the home staff broke open the door. He was immediately rushed to Sadar hospital where the doctor declared him brought dead.

Currently, 87 juveniles are residing in the correction facility in which 14 were staying in quarantine rooms. Taking advantage of the chaos that prevailed after the incident, 10 inmates of the correction home escaped at around 9.30 pm.

Thakur said, adding, many adjoining areas of the town have been cordoned off. Parents of the inmates have been informed, he added.

Thakur, while talking with reporters said, “The juvenile who died by suicide tried to kill himself earlier as well by consuming phenyl. After the officials learnt about his suicide attempt, he was rushed to the local hospital for emergency treatment.”

The deceased’s elder brother informed that his younger brother eloped with a girl and took her to New Delhi. Family members caught them and handed them over to the local police where an FIR was already lodged on the statements of the girl’s kin. The brother alleged murder because he said several injury marks were found on his body.

Taking a serious note of the incident, the DM visited the spot on Saturday morning and enquired about the incident. He asked the additional district magistrate (ADM) to conduct a preliminary enquiry of the matter. He said that the body has been sent to Sadar hospital where a post-mortem would be performed by a three-member medical board and it would be videographed.

Meanwhile, the mother of the deceased raised question about the police inaction which, according to her, led to the boy’s drastic step. She alleged that the Buxar police have not carried out any conclusive probe regarding the elopement by the deceased.

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