The parents of Rajesh Kumar outside the remand home in Patna City on Tuesday. Picture by Sachin

Patna, April 5: Police today said 12-year-old Rajesh Kumar — who was found dead in the water tank of a remand home on April 3 — was bullied by five inmates of the correctional facility.

Sources said the five boys had demanded money from Rajesh to buy tobacco. When he refused, they beat him up.

“Five boys were involved in Rajesh’s murder. The main accused is the leader of the gang. Hajipur resident Rajesh — who was bought to the remand home on March 29 — was surrounded and bullied by the other boys the same evening. The boys demanded money from him to buy tobacco and marijuana,” a source told The Telegraph.

“Rajesh was beaten up by the boys with sticks. He started coughing up blood. Another inmate saw the gang beating up Rajesh. The witness, too, was roughed up and then confined in the bathroom of the remand home. When Rajesh lost consciousness, they gagged him, took him down to the water tank and dropped him into it,” said the source.

The witness would also have been beaten up but the other inmates of the remand home saved him.

“But the gang members threatened him with dire consequences if he spoke up,” said a police officer.

Another officer added: “It is shocking that such an incident should occur in a remand home. It seems the inmates of the correctional facility for juveniles also use drugs and tobacco like prisoners in jails.”

The police took the witness’s statement today.

The remand home has a capacity of 96 but houses only 81 inmates at present. Rajesh was sent to the remand home after being charged with thefts on trains and railway stations. When he went missing on March 30, the remand home authorities lodged a missing complaint.

Then, the inmates of the remand home started complaining about a foul smell from the water tank. Police were informed and officers of Alamganj police station reached the correctional facility, opened the tank and discovered Rajesh’s body.

Police had already suspected foul play on April 3, after the body was discovered. The five accused shall remain in the remand home for the time being as they are juveniles, said a police source. They will be interrogated and normal procedure of investigation will follow.

Senior police officers of the state refused to comment on the incident.