Bihar: Refused To Give Free Vegetables To Cop, 14-Year-Old Rots In Jail For 3 Months

The 14-year-old son of a vegetable vendor is in Patna’s Beur jail for the last three months. Why, you ask? It is allegedly because he refused free vegetables to a policeman. While his father says that he is 14-years-old and Aadhaar card also shows the same, policemen say he is 18.

The police allege that he is part of a bike lifters’ gang. After several media houses reported the issue, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar ordered an enquiry. He also demanded a report to be filed within 48 hours as this is turning out to be embarrassing for the Bihar cops.

The Chief Minister’s Office, in a statement, said that Kumar has “directed an officer of IG rank to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within two days. Based on the findings of the report, speedy action will follow,” reported The Tribune.

Free vegetables or jail?

The boy, a resident of Chitragupta Nagar locality in Patna was apprehended on the evening of March 19, after he came back home from selling vegetables. When the boy was taken away, the family asked what the matter was but got no replies.

After two days of frantic searches at different police stations, it was found that he was kept in Patrakar Nagar police station and that he has been arrested in connection with a motorcycle theft case.

After meeting with the boy, the family got to know that the police became angry with him after he refused to give free vegetables. He was allegedly arrested under the false charge of being related to a bike-lifter gang. Two other boys have been arrested too along with him. The boy claims that he doesn’t know them.

The boy also accused the police of beating him up and making him sign documents, the contents of which he was not aware of because it was blank when he was forced to sign.

The Inspector General of Police, Patna Zone, Naiyar Hasnain Khan, said “The matter is very serious. It will be thoroughly probed and if allegations are found true, sternest possible action will be taken against the guilty policemen.”