Nalanda: A 12-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly beaten to death following a minor dispute over a lemon in Sakrawan village of Bihar’s Nalanda district, triggering communal tension and clashes in the area.
#WATCH | Nalanda, Bihar: A 12-year-old boy was beaten to death in Nalanda over plucking lemons from a tree in Sakrawan village, under the Asthawan PS area.
Bharat Sony, SP Nalanda, says, "A 12-year-old Shubham Kumar was playing, and he was plucking lemons from a tree in a… pic.twitter.com/it9wun6RcG
— ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2026
The victim, Shubham Kumar alias Jhagdu, son of Rajkumar Paswan, was reportedly playing marbles near a lemon tree when a fruit fell due to strong winds. According to villagers, the Dalit boy picked up lemons from a nearby house, which angered the tree’s owner, identified as Gorakh Mian. He, along with his two sons, allegedly assaulted the child with sticks, inflicting severe head injuries. Shubham was rushed to a hospital in Biharsharif but died on the way.
The incident quickly escalated tensions in the village. Enraged residents carried the boy’s body and marched towards the accused’s house. Police from Asthawan station intervened, leading to clashes. Some villagers allegedly pelted stones, injuring several police personnel, after which officers resorted to a baton charge to disperse the crowd. Authorities deployed additional forces from multiple police stations to bring the situation under control.
A local resident, Rabri Devi, said the child was killed over a trivial matter. “If there was an issue, they could have asked for compensation, but instead the boy was beaten to death,” she alleged.
Police said 12 people have been arrested so far in connection with the incident, and raids are ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused. Nalanda Superintendent of Police Bharat Soni confirmed the boy’s death and the subsequent unrest, adding that police used mild force to bring the situation under control. He assured that the area is now peaceful.
Speaking about the case, SP Bharat Soni said, “According to villagers, the dispute began after the boy plucked lemons from the accused’s tree. We are investigating the matter to ascertain the exact sequence of events.”
The boy’s body has been sent to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem examination. “Strict action will be taken against those found guilty after a thorough investigation,” the SP added.
In a separate incident reported days earlier from Uttar Pradesh’s Agra district, a 13-year-old boy, Amrit Kushwaha, was allegedly killed by farmers following a dispute over plucking a watermelon in Randhirpura village. According to reports, the farmland belonged to the boy’s family but had been leased out to the accused, who had cultivated watermelons and muskmelons.
The incident occurred on May 1 when the boy was reportedly seen plucking a watermelon, after which he was attacked. His body was later found near the field with severe injuries. Police registered an FIR against around 13 individuals and arrested two accused, identified as Riazuddin and Shirazuddin. The case also led to tensions in the area, prompting the deployment of additional police forces.
