mid-day editorial: Let the shopkeepers pay for their actions

A shopkeeper in Ulhasnagar had the opportunity to teach two kids right from wrong when they stole a chakli from his store. Instead, what he taught them was that humans can be horrifyingly cruel and barbaric at the slightest excuse.

The two kids - aged eight and nine - were tonsur­ed, made to wear garlands of chappals and paraded naked in Ulh­as­nagar by the shopkeeper and his sons, all because they did not have one rupee to pay for the chakli. Adding insult to injury, a bystander captured a video of the shocking incident, instead of helping the kids.

The shopkeeper then unabashedly justified his actions, saying it is okay to humiliate thieves, no matter their age. But meting out a punishment designed to denigrate and humiliate is always the worst form of deterrent, particularly when the culprits are at such a tender age. This incident will haunt these boys for long, and only counselling may help them recover from this trauma, which was nothing short of abuse.

If it was a one-time incident, ideally, the shop owner should have complained to the mothers, who work as maids nearby. Had the kids been habitual offenders, the shopkeepers should have alerted the cops. A rap on the knuckles from the police would have put them on the straight path. It was certainly not up to the shop owner and his family to self-design a punishment and inflict it on these boys. Subjecting them to such extreme humiliation can in no way be justified.

Children should be taught right from the wrong, no matter how big or small their mistake. Equally important is the need for a complete change in mindset for those who think crushing a child's spirit is acceptable. We pray that the two boys recover from this experience and hope the culprits are punished.