A teenager killed himself allegedly after he was paraded in the village as punishment for stealing a guava from an orchard at Piparpati in Ballia district, about 400 km from here.
Abhishek Chaubey, class 10 student, hanged himself from the ceiling fan at his house on Thursday, according to police sources here.
Abhishek and some of his friends had plucked some guavas from the orchard on Thursday morning, according to police. The orchard owner however saw them and gave them chase. While others managed to escape, Abhishek was caught.
The owner thrashed the teen and then tied his hands and allegedly paraded him in the village, telling everyone that Abhishek had stolen guavas from his orchard, sources said.
He was let off only after some elders intervened. His family members also reprimanded him, telling him that he had brought a bad name to the family and got what he deserved.
“He appeared very upset and did not speak when rebuked and kept silent,” said Krishna Mohan Chaubey, Abhishek’s father.
Family members said Abhishek went upstairs and locked himself in a room. He then hanged himself from the ceiling fan.
They came to know about the tragedy after few hours, when a woman went up and knocked at his room and got no reply.
Abhishek was already dead by the time they broke open the door and took him to the nearby hospital, sources said.
A case has been registered against four persons and a manhunt has been launched for the alleged culprits, who have been absconding.
In an earlier incident in the state, a teen was killed for plucking a mango from an orchard.
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