A 15-year-old boy in Ramgarh upazila of Khagrachhari has been accused in a mobile phone theft case, raising questions about legal and humanitarian treatment of minors. The boy, tearfully claiming innocence, said he did not steal the phone. His family asserted that he was unaware the phone was stolen and was only accompanying the real suspect to sell it. They demanded an impartial investigation and his release.

According to the boy’s father, Abul Kasem, the police officer in charge, Nazir Alam, ignored the child’s statement and listed him as an accused under sections 380, 411, and 34, showing his age as 16 despite a birth certificate proving he is 15. The family alleged that the boy was handcuffed and taken to court before being transferred to a juvenile detention center in Gazipur due to the lack of such facilities in Khagrachhari.

Local residents and the family have called for a fair investigation, emphasizing the need for special caution in handling cases involving minors. The police officer, however, stated that the boy confessed during interrogation, justifying his inclusion as an accused.