In a deeply disturbing incident in Bihar's Sitamarhi district, five young boys were subjected to a horrific public shaming after being accused of stealing chocolates from a local grocery store. The incident, which occurred in Malahi village, has sparked widespread outrage and led to the arrest of three individuals, including the shopkeeper.

According to police reports, the incident took place on Thursday, June 5th. The shopkeeper and his associates allegedly stripped the five boys, who are minors, and smeared lime on their faces. They were then garlanded with slippers, tied together with a rope and paraded through the village streets. The perpetrators also allegedly beat the children. The appalling act was captured on video and rapidly spread across social media, triggering public condemnation and demands for swift and severe legal action.

The shopkeeper, Nageshwar Sharma, his son Prakash Kumar, and a local villager, Krishna Kumar have been arrested in connection with the incident. Authorities have registered a First Information Report (FIR), and the accused have been remanded to judicial custody. SDPO Sadar-1, Sitamarhi, Shri Ram Krishna, stated that the shopkeeper never reported any thefts to the police.

The children, aged between 8 and 12, were allegedly driven to steal due to their families' financial constraints, being unable to afford the chocolates they desired. Reports indicate that in the video, the shopkeeper claimed the children had been stealing from his shop for a while, though the children themselves stated it was their first offense.

Adding another layer of complexity to the case, police are also considering action against the media person who initially recorded and circulated the video. The authorities are concerned that established protocols for handling sensitive cases involving minors were not followed.

Child rights activists and the general public are calling for stringent legal measures against those responsible for the inhumane treatment of the children, emphasizing the need to uphold juvenile protection laws. The focus is now on ensuring the mental and emotional well-being of the victimized children, who have undoubtedly suffered severe trauma due to this incident. This incident is not the first of its kind in the region.