Bihar Court Pardons Teen Who Stole to Feed Brother, Mentally-challenge Mother Amid Covid-19 Lockdown

A court in Bihar's Nalanda district has pardoned a 16-year-old boy, detained for snatching a woman's purse, after it found that the accused had stolen to feed his brother and mentally-challenged mother, who were hungry for several days due to the nationwide lockdown.

Juvenile Justice Board Principal Magistrate Manavendra Mishra also directed the officials concerned to ensure that the minor's family gets housing and ration under government schemes.

He also directed the police to submit the juvenile's progress report after four months.

"The boy had snatched the woman's purse at a market in Islampur police station area on April 17. He was identified through CCTV footage, detained and produced before the court the same day," an officer said.

The judgment was also pronounced on that day, he said.

The minor lives with his mother and brother in a small thatched hut in Khatolna Bigaha village, the police officer said.

After the court's directive, Islampur Block Development Officer (BDO) Priyadarshi Rajesh said he visited the boy's house and provided his family with food and other essential commodities besides initiating the process to enable them to avail government schemes.