Bhopal- In a shocking incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district, a 13-year-old student ended his life. His family claims that caste-based insults and abuse from a local grocery shopkeeper triggered this tragic event. The incident occurred in Bedi village under the jurisdiction of Luvkushnagar police station, Chhatarpur.

The boy, an 8th-grader, reportedly felt deeply humiliated after the alleged altercation. Preliminary police investigations, however, suggest another perspective. Officials indicate that the boy had recently failed in his class and, on Saturday evening, visited the grocery store where he allegedly attempted to shoplift items. The shopkeeper rebuked him, which could have compounded his distress.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Naveen Dubey informed that the incident appears unrelated to caste discrimination. He proposed that peer pressure or the reprimand from the shopkeeper might have influenced the boy's decision. The boy's father filed a plain application , stating that his son had visited the shop to buy some goods but was subjected to verbal abuse and physical assault, locked inside the store, and beaten with kicks, punches, and shoes. Upon returning home from his fields, the father found his son had shut himself inside a room. With the help of his younger son, they managed to open the door, only to discover the boy had hanged himself and had taken his own life.

The body was sent for post-mortem at Luvkushnagar Hospital that same evening. On Sunday morning, the grieving family, along with members of the Bhim Army, brought the body to the district hospital, demanding a second post-mortem and insisting it be videographed. Bhim Army's Chhatarpur leader, Santosh Kumar Bileri said that they demanded a thorough examination, alleging reluctance from authorities to probe the matter seriously. Police officials confirmed that a magistrate’s report of grievous (MRG, also known as Marg) had been filed in the case. The investigation officer from Luvkushnagar assured the family that after receiving the post-mortem report, the investigation would progress, and appropriate action would be taken.