11-year-old accused of 120g gold theft, allegedly assaulted inside Police Station

Police accused of detaining, threatening and assaulting a Class 6 student for two days, forcing a confession video, as parents allege custodial abuse over a disputed gold theft complaint.

A disturbing case of alleged police excess has emerged from Vinayaka Layout, Shanthipura, where an 11-year-old Class 6 student was accused of stealing 120 grams of gold and was allegedly assaulted inside a police station in front of his parents.

The boy is the son of Balaji, who has been running a laundry and dry-cleaning shop in the locality for several years. According to the family, the incident dates back to August last year, when a woman known to the family visited Balaji’s shop. At the time, Balaji’s son was sitting inside the shop, watching videos on a mobile phone.

As she left the shop, the woman reportedly gave the boy ₹10, which he accepted, assuming she was a familiar customer. The woman later travelled by bus to Krishnagiri in Tamil Nadu. Six days after her return, she filed a complaint alleging that her purse containing 120 grams of gold was stolen and accused the minor boy of the theft.

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Police initially called the child to the station for questioning. After inquiry, officers reportedly told the family that the boy had not stolen any gold and sent him back. The matter remained dormant for nearly six months.

However, the situation escalated recently when the woman again raised allegations. This time, police summoned the boy and his parents to the station repeatedly over two days. The parents allege that the police changed their approach, subjected the child to intimidation, switched off lights multiple times to scare him, and physically assaulted him inside the station.

It is further alleged that the child was beaten in front of his parents and threatened that his mother and father would be jailed for three years if the gold was not produced. The police allegedly forced the boy to say on video that he had stolen the purse containing gold.

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Balaji claims the video was later shown to him, with officers insisting that his son had “confessed” and demanding that gold kept at their home be handed over. Terrified by the threats, the parents say their child broke down repeatedly.

The boy sustained injuries to his ear due to the alleged assault and was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Visuals of the injured child and the parents in tears have intensified outrage, raising serious questions about police conduct, child rights violations and custodial accountability.