The police has accessed CCTV footage to identify the policeman involved (Express Photo/File)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a high-level probe to look into reports of a scheduled caste boy facing a “bike theft case” after refusing a policeman free jackfruit. The minor, the son of a vegetable vendor, was allegedly named in the case, filed on March 19, to “teach a lesson to the unobliging boy”. Patna Zonal Inspector-General NH Khan along with the Deputy Inspector General Rajesh Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police will probe the case.
“We are looking into the grave allegations against the policemen. We will thoroughly probe the matter and if they are found guilty, they will get exemplary punishment,” Patna Zonal IG NH Khan said. The police has accessed CCTV footage to identify the policeman involved.
The boy’s father, who claims policemen often take fruits for free, said his son had refused jackfruit as it was selling at Rs 80/kg. “My son was scolded and threatened with grave consequences. We took it as normal reprimand from a policeman. Now we know why my innocent son faces three bike theft cases.”
“On March 19, a police jeep stopped near our house and a police constable came asking for my son saying ‘bada babu bula rahe hai (police station in-charge is calling). We cooperated with the police,” the father added. “It was only on March 21 that I came to know that my son faced a bike theft case at Agamkuan police station and was sent to Beur jail despite the fact that he is a minor.”
The police have recorded the boy’s age as 19 so that he is not treated as a minor. According to his father, who claims he has not been able to secure bail for his son despite submitting his original birth certificate, he is 14. The certificate shows that the boy was born on January 1, 2004.
The family lives in Paliganj and sells vegetables at Chitragupta Nagar area of Patrakar Nagar police station of Patna.