Scolded by father, 12-year-old immolates self in Bihar

A 12-year-old boy allegedly immolated himself after he scolded by his father for stealing Rs 500 to buy himself a used mobile phone. He succumbed to his injuries while be was being rushed to hospital.

The incident occurred at Pasivarh village under Daraunda police station in Siwan district of north Bihar on Thursday.

Confirming the incident, Siwan superintendent of police (SP) Satyaveer Singh identified the boy as Nitish Kumar alias Golu, son of Kuber Mishra and a class 5 student.

"A case of unnatural death had been lodged at the Daraunda police station and the boy's body was handed over to his family after autopsy", he told HT.

The SP also said the matter was being probed from "various angles" as no suicide note was recovered from the spot.

Golu's suicide came less than two weeks after another 12-year-old boy, Surabh Popat Dahire, committed suicide by hanging himself at his house after his parents obstructed him from inhaling whitener.

The incident took place on February 15 at Kakde Wasti in Kondhwa, a suburb of Pune (Maharashtra).

Golu's neighbour Ramandeep said the boy doused himself with kerosene and set himself ablaze in his own room. "He was apparently driven to the extreme step as he feared a loss of face among friends", he stated.

The matter came to light when Ramandeep noticed smoke billowing from the Mishra home. Finding Golu's room locked from inside, he broke it down with the help of another person only to find the boy in flames.

"Golu succumbed to his injuries on way to the Siwan sadar hospital", Ramandeep added.

Kuber Mishra, Golu's father, said the only reason why he had scolded the boy was to make him see reason. "My intention was to mend his behaviour but it worked differently", he said.

Mishra said he came from a lower middle class family and had toiled hard to earn money to run his family and educate his children. "I had taken up a job abroad and had recently returned to my native place", he added.

Mishra said Golu was a stubborn child and had earlier jumped off a terrace.

"I had never imagined that a mere scolding would cause the loss of my only son", he rued.