A heart-wrenching tragedy has emerged from West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district, where a 12-year-old boy allegedly died by suicide after being publicly humiliated over a packet of chips. Krishnendu Das, a class 7 student from Panskura, reportedly consumed pesticide after being accused of stealing a Kurkure packet and forced to do sit-ups in public by a local shopkeeper, who is also a civic volunteer.
According to the boy’s mother, Krishnendu had called out to the shopkeeper, Subhankar Dikshit, multiple times, saying, “Uncle, I will buy chips,” but received no response. Finding no one at the counter, he allegedly picked up a packet lying near the shop and left, intending to pay later. Soon after, the shopkeeper returned, confronted the boy, slapped him, and made him do sit-ups publicly, accusing him of theft.
The police said the mother was also summoned, and she too scolded and slapped Krishnendu at the scene. Despite his repeated pleas that he had not stolen but intended to pay, the boy was branded a liar.
Back home, Krishnendu locked himself in his room. Moments later, his mother and neighbours broke in to find him unconscious, frothing at the mouth with a half-empty bottle of pesticide beside him. He was rushed to Tamluk Hospital’s ICU but could not be saved.
A chilling suicide note, scribbled in Bengali, was found beside his body. It read: “Maa, I am not a thief. I did not steal. Uncle was not around as I waited. While returning, I saw a Kurkure packet lying on the road and picked it up. I love Kurkure. These are my final words before leaving. Please excuse me for this act.”
The shopkeeper, who initially denied any wrongdoing, has since gone missing as a crowd gathered in protest outside his shuttered shop. Police have launched an investigation into the incident, which has sparked outrage and raised disturbing questions about how society treats its children.
