In Raipur, the report of a 12-year-old boy being attacked with chemical powder has been debunked as a false case. As per the updated information, the boy was at home with his younger brother on Saturday when he suffered severe burns from a gas stove. He was admitted to AIIMS for treatment, but to avoid scolding from his parents, the elder boy weaved a false story of a chemical attack. He claimed that while playing with his brother, they were targeted by people on a motorcycle who threw chemical powder at them.
The police initially investigated the case following a complaint at DD Nagar police station, which described the incident as an attack by two motorcyclists who threw brown and pink chemical powder at the boy while he was near an educational academy school. Despite reviewing nearby CCTV footage and enquiring the informers and public, no evidence of the attack was found. Police failed to trace any suspects of the crime. The police then informed the boy’s family about the lack of evidence.
The truth came to light when the younger brother confessed to his parents. He admitted that the burns were caused by an accident with the gas stove and not by any chemical attack. To avoid their parents’ reprimand, the older brother had invented the story about the chemical attack.
The children also mentioned that there were usually groups of miscreants near the school who harass students for money, leading their parents to suspect that the attack might have been the work of these miscreants.
The children’s father explained that his wife was out shopping, and he was at work, leaving the children alone at home. He noted that the burns were from the gas stove, and the children, frightened by their injuries, concocted the chemical attack story. The father also mentioned that the children’s obsession with mobile phones had been a source of concern for the family. He was surprised and disappointed by their elaborate deception and how they tried to mislead him with such a story.
When asked if the children watched crime shows, the father speculated that they might have been influenced by what they see, but he was unsure, as he is usually at work in daytime meanwhile their mother stays at home.
