12-year-old thrown off roof, dies

Accused of mobile theft, boy was tortured: Parents

A 12-year-old boy, who had allegedly stolen a mobile phone, was thrown off the roof of a house in Lucknow after he did not confess to the alleged crime.

The boy, who sustained serious head injuries, died in hospital later.
According to police, Avinash was picked up from his house on Thursday by three persons, who lived in the same locality, alleging that he had stolen their cellphone. Avinash’s parents said he was brutally tortured first.

“When he did not admit that he had stolen their mobile, he was thrown off the roof of the three-storey building,” said his parent.

The boy knew the accused and he would frequently visit their house. On Wednesday, he was sent there by the father of one of the accused to fetch some money.
Some time later, one of the accused by the name of Vijay alleged that his cellphone had gone missing, and suspected Avinash’s hand.

A heated exchange between the families of Avinash and Vijay ensued over the alleged theft, by the time which the matter reached the local police station. But police did not take any action.

On Thursday, Vijay and his two friends forcibly took Avinash to the house and started torturing him in a bid to make him admit to the theft. But the boy kept denying it, said a source. In a fit of anger, the trio allegedly threw Avinash off the roof.

Avinash was taken to hospital, where he died on Thursday night. A case has been filed and the accused have been arrested, police said.