In a heartbreaking incident, a 13-year-old boy studying in a corporation school in Chennai snatched a phone with the aid of two criminals so that he could attend online classes.

According to the Times of India, the boy along with two criminals stole smartphone of a truck driver in Thiruvottriyur and were trying to flee the spot when they were nabbed by those around and handed over to the cops.

The report points out that the boy’s parents could not afford a smartphone for online classes. This was used by the two men as a bait to the lure the boy into committing the crime.

However, when Thiruvottiyur Crime Police Inspector S Bhuvaneshwari heard the boy’s story during questioning, she decided to buy him a phone for his classes.

Reportedly, the money she used to buy the boy a new phone was the money the officer had set aside to buy her daughter a smartphone. ‘My daughter can wait,’ Bhuvaneshwari told the publication.

‘This is a small gesture from my side. After hearing his tale, I thought penalizing him would turn the life of the misguided youth upside down,’ the inspector added, reported The News Minute.

The boy was then let off with a warning. Several such incidents have been reported where students belonging to the marginalised communities are struggling to access online classes due to the digital divide. Many are struggling every day due to lack of devices or internet connectivity.

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