Panskura chips suicide: Getting pressured to withdraw case, says mom
Times of India | 3 July 2025
Panskura: The mother of a Panskura minor, who died by suicide over being accused of stealing chips, filed a police complaint on Tuesday alleging that a civic volunteer was pressuring her to withdraw the case against the accused shopkeeper. Police have begun an investigation. Civic volunteer Pulak Goswami has claimed the allegations are false.
On May 18, Suvankar Dikshit — also a civic volunteer — accused Class 7 student Krishnendu Das of stealing chips from his sweet shop. Dikshit allegedly chased the child on a bike and reprimanded him on the street. The family claimed that the child, unable to bear the humiliation, ingested pesticide. After four days of treatment, he died in hospital on May 22.
Dikshit subsequently released CCTV footage showing the boy's mother, Sumitra Das, scolding him in the store. Krishnendu's family and local residents, however, claimed it was Dikshit's actions that led to the child's suicide. This led to widespread protests and the shopkeeper was eventually arrested.
In her complaint, Sumitra has alleged that Pulak Goswami, a home guard working at Tamluk Police Line and Suvankar's neighbour, and his family have been threatening her. She stated: "We are being pressured at home to withdraw the case regarding my son's death. In fear, I filed a police complaint against Pulak Goswami and eight others".