Five individuals were placed in judicial custody on Thursday for allegedly torturing a 14-year-old boy, whom they accused of stealing money from a residence in Kalaburagi, according to a police official familiar with the case.
The official reported that the suspects subjected the boy to prolonged torture, lasting three to four hours. They allegedly burned his hands and feet with cigarettes and threatened to kill him if he did not confess. The group also warned that they would make videos of him smoking cigarettes and drinking beer go viral if he refused to comply.
The incident occurred on Wednesday while the boy’s parents were in Hyderabad, learning of the situation only later. Despite the boy’s cries for help, none of the neighbors intervened, the officer said, citing the complaint filed by the boy’s parents.
“Unable to withstand the severe physical and psychological abuse, the boy eventually confessed to the theft, though he was innocent. Following the forced confession, the suspects demanded that he steal gold jewelry for them, threatening further harm if he failed to do so,” the officer added. The accused have been identified as Jagannath (24), Saibanna (20), Mallik (28), Shreeshaila (22), and Varada (23).
“We have arrested the five individuals and charged them under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act (cruelty to a child) and Sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 118 (voluntarily causing hurt with weapons) of the Indian Penal Code. They were produced before the JMFC court, which has remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody,” the officer stated.
