Jamshedpur, July 27: A pall of gloom descended on the suburban Garabasa bustee in Bagbera as the funeral procession of 11-year-old Vicky Kumar began this afternoon.
Vicky was fatally injured after being assaulted by a youth yesterday afternoon and subsequently died at the Tata Main Hospital.
A post-mortem was conducted on the body, but the autopsy report is yet to be made available. Police, in their inquest report, have mentioned that the victim’s head was ruptured.
They suspect that the boy might have been inflicted grievous injuries on the head by a hard and blunt substance. But an eyewitness claimed that Vicky was not only hit with bricks but also strangulated by a youth of the neighbouring locality.
Babita Devi, younger sister of Vicky’s mother Prema Devi, narrated what they had heard about the incident. Babita, who rushed from Calcutta on hearing the tragedy, said, “Vicky was playing a little distance away from his house last afternoon when a youth whom he knew came to him. The youth asked Vicky to accompany him to the Jugsalai market, but Vicky refused saying he wanted to return home soon.”
“Returning from the market, the youth, identified as Santosh Yadav, spotted Vicky playing at the same spot. Furious at Vicky for telling a lie, he hit Vicky with bricks and strangulated him. He fell down on the spot, leading the passers-by to inform the incident at home,” said Babita.
In this connection, the police have arrested one Santosh Yadav (18), a resident of the Bagbera, and forwarded him to the judicial custody today.
Son of a railway employee Ramlal Gupta, Vicky had been playing a little distance away from his house where he was attacked.
Vicky’s death spread like wildfire among the neighbourhood children. Their parents too are apprehensive over yesterday’s incident that has left a deep sense of insecurity in their minds. “Everything is finished. My loveliest child is no more. I do not want to live any longer,” Prema Devi, managed to say.
Vicky’s elder brother too died five years ago in a road accident. They were two brothers and two sisters.
