Inhuman: 10-year-old dies after shopkeeper tortures him for stealing snack

Haveri: A 10-year-old boy was tortured to death by a shopkeeper at Uppanashi village of Hangal taluk in Haveri district for stealing snack.

The boy is identified as Harishayya — son of Nagayya Hiremath.

It is gathered that the boy allegedly stole a snack from the shop, following which the shopkeeper kept him locked up in a room, around 3 pm, the boy’s mother Jayashree went to the shopowner and pleaded with him. But he asked her to come back at 5 pm.

When she returned, she saw the boy made to sit in a pit dug for the foundation and a heavy stone tied to his back. A furious Jayashree fought with Shivarudrappa, but he, his son Kumar, their relatives Praveen Karishettar and Basavannevva Karishettar beat her up and released the boy.

The same night, the condition of the boy, who was badly injured, started deteriorating and was rushed to the District Hospital in Haveri. After the first-aid, the doctors advised the parents to shift him to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi where he died.

The accused shopowner and his family members are missing now.