Guwahati, April 22: In a deeply disturbing incident that has triggered widespread outrage, an eight-year-old boy was allegedly tied to a tree and brutally assaulted in Assam’s Rangapara area of Sonitpur district over suspicion of bicycle theft.

The victim, identified as Vishal Karmakar, a resident of Bishnupur in Rangapara, was reportedly accused of stealing a bicycle.

According to local sources, the accused — identified as Rakesh Kumar, a railway employee — allegedly took the child to his residence, tied his hands to a bel tree, and subjected him to severe physical assault.

“I had gone to work early in the morning. When I heard that my son had been tied to a tree over a bicycle theft allegation, I rushed there to bring him back, but they did not release him. We went to the police station, but he was never taken there and was instead kept at the same place. When I asked them to release him, they verbally abused me,” the victim’s mother said.

“He had done nothing. He was simply returning home with another boy when they suspected him and picked him up from the roadside,” she added.

Describing the assault, she said, “He was badly beaten, and when he came home, he started vomiting. He is just eight years old — how could they treat him in such a manner?”

Eyewitnesses claimed the violence went beyond beatings, alleging that the accused kicked the child in the stomach, causing him to vomit and leaving him in a weakened and distressed condition. The boy was later rescued and brought home, where his condition reportedly worsened.

Local residents who witnessed the incident strongly condemned the act, calling it inhuman and grossly disproportionate, especially given the age of the child. Several questioned the basis of the allegation and criticised the accused for resorting to violence instead of informing law enforcement authorities.

“The boy was picked up from the roadside and beaten without any verification. When we tried to intervene, we were told he would be handed over to the police, but that never happened,” an eyewitness said.

The incident has raised serious concerns over vigilante justice and the safety of children in the region. Residents have demanded a thorough investigation and strict legal action against the accused.

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