KOCHI: Around 5 pm, most of the students from the nearby government school had left the area. However, one student, seemingly in ninth or tenth grade and wearing a school uniform, lingered near a high-end bicycle parked at Changampuzha Park, Kochi. In an instant, he took off with the bicycle like a professional thief, while the road turned empty.
Showing the video footage, 19-year-old Aadhi Krishna said, “More than a bicycle, it was one of the most valuable gifts in my life from my father after I secured high marks in Plus II examinations. But it was stolen right in front of me.”
Aadhi, of Edappally, lost his bicycle worth Rs 30,000 from the heart of the city on Friday when he parked it and went to the gym. During the search, local people revealed that around 10 bicycles, including his, have been stolen from that particular area in recent days. Additionally, a police official told TNIE that about eight cases of bicycle thefts involving young offenders have been reported in Kochi city limits over the past two to three months.
“After reviewing the CCTV footage, we went to the nearby government school to search for the student. However, the principal denied our claim, insisting that none of the students would commit such a robbery,” said Aadhi. She also insulted us by suggesting that we could catch the student if we hid outside the school while he was attending classes,” he added.
The NID entrance aspirant stated that they plan to file a complaint at the Elamakkara police station in the coming days, accompanied by the CCTV footage.
Responding to the theft involving children, city police commissioner S Syamsundar said: “We don’t have reports of these types of theft. If a case like this is registered, stringent action, including provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, will follow.” However, the police take a humanitarian approach to these cases, he said. In most instances, the court may consider the student’s age when deciding on the charges, he added.
One single incident isn’t enough to label a student as an offender, said Syamsundar. However, stringent action is necessary if the student repeats the offence or shows criminal tendencies, he added. He also noted that a 15-year-old girl named Avantika C J in the city lost her brand new bicycle, which had been gifted by General Education Minister V Sivankutty as a replacement for the one that was stolen. The bicycle was recovered soon.
Meanwhile, Dr C J John, senior consultant psychiatrist based in Kochi, suggested that the issue should also be addressed as a psychological problem. “These minor thefts may stem from children’s desire for a stylish lifestyle, often influenced by spending culture, social hangouts, and peer imitation,” he said. In many cases, without proper correction or analysis, both the family and society tend to handle it in a primitive and pardoning manner, he added.
“We can’t categorise these children as minor thieves. But consider them deviant in behaviour. Rather than a blanket pardoning, we should address the actual roots. If the underlying issues are not identified and corrected, the child may be prone to repeating the behaviour,” said John. Neither the family, society, nor the police fully understand the psychological undercurrents behind these burglaries, he said. Instead of resolving these incidents solely between the complainant and the accused, the police should involve counsellors, he added.
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Factors behind theft
Spending culture
Aspiration for a stylish life
Peer pressure
For personal use or to sell
Considered as a benchmark Of acceptance
Stealing tendency
Psychological problems