Panskura suicide: Angry villagers target shop owner, 4 held
Times of India | 24 May 2025
Panskura: After a 13-year-old accused of theft died by suicide on Thursday, Gosainber erupted in anger on Friday, with local villagers targeting the shop owner, who is also a civic volunteer, for allegedly assaulting the teen.Villagers ransacked Subhankar Dikshit's home and attacked the police when they tried to intervene. The police resorted to a lathicharge and later arrested four villagers for resorting to violence.Krishnendu Das, a class 7 student, was accused of stealing three packets of chips from a sweet shop owned by Dikshit. The student later died by suicide after ingesting pesticide, leaving behind a note that read, "Mom, I didn't steal." Tensions rose later on Thursday night when the boy's body returned to Panskura following an autopsy. Locals protested by placing the body in front of the shopkeeper's house, where the alleged theft took place.Following the child's death at Tamralipta District Hospital on Thursday, Shubhankar went into hiding. The Panskura police said the incident is under investigation. The preliminary autopsy report confirmed death due to poisoning. "Four arrests have been made so far and Krishnendu's body has been returned to the family," police said.Subhankar's wife, Nisha, said, "My husband went downstairs and saw that the child was missing. The locals said a child came and took three packets of chips and left. He saw the child from a distance, riding a bicycle. He chased after him on a bike. Seeing him, the child got scared and dropped the packets. He offered to pay. My husband scolded him for his actions and let him go. The boy kept apologising for his mistake. The whole incident was witnessed by the locals." Krishnendu's parents allege that even after paying for the chips their son was harassed.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes, messages and quotes !