A 17‑year‑old student in Chhattisgarh's Koriyā district took her own life after a mart owner accused her of theft and seized her scooter. Police have charged three owners under multiple statutes and sealed the supermarket.
In Koriyā, Chhattisgarh, a tragic incident unfolded when a 17‑year‑old Class XI student was found hanging in her kitchen, having taken her own life. The catalyst was a false theft accusation by the owner of IC Mart, who also confiscated her scooter and demanded a hefty sum for its return.
Chronology of the Incident
On July 7, the teenager visited IC Mart at Sanjay Chowk with her younger sister to purchase household items. The shopkeeper alleged that they attempted to steal cosmetic products, forced both girls to sign a written confession, and seized the scooter they had arrived on. He later told them the scooter would be handed back only after a payment of ₹50,000.
Family and Police Intervention
The girl's father, Constable Shivnath Singh Paikra, learned of the incident only after his daughter had already been taken to the police lines area of Baikunthpur. An Assistant Sub‑Inspector (ASI) contacted the shopkeeper, who claimed the scooter had been dispatched elsewhere and could be collected the next morning. The teenager, fearing reprimand, confided in the ASI rather than her father.
Legal Action and Community Response
Koriya Superintendent of Police Ravi Kumar Kurre stated that the girl fell into severe depression after the accusation and the extortion attempt, leading to her suicide. The police registered a FIR against three owners—Deepak Vaid, Vinod Vaid, and Jagat Vaid—under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for abetment of suicide, extortion, robbery and other offences. IC Mart was sealed, and a cyber‑forensic team is analysing CCTV footage.
Protest and Wider Implications
Relatives of police personnel staged a protest outside the Baikunthpur police station, blocking a road for about thirty minutes demanding immediate arrests. The demonstration was later dispersed after senior officials intervened. The case highlights the perils of unchecked commercial power, the need for stricter consumer‑protection laws, and the importance of mental‑health awareness in preventing such tragedies.
