Beaten, 5-year-old lands uncle in soup

A man almost landed behind bars after his five-year-old nephew turned vengeful upon getting beaten by him in public and, with tear-sodden face, told people he did not know the man, giving an impression that he was being kidnapped.

The incident took place in Koramangala on Wednesday evening. Srinivasa, a barber working at Agara, took his nephew along with him when he left house to buy chicken.

While returning, Srinivasa stopped by at a bar and consumed alcohol. When he and his nephew were returning home in a BMTC bus, the boy saw a chaat stall through the bus window and asked Srinivasa to buy him chaat. When Srinivasa refused, the boy started crying. Irked, Srinivasa beat up his nephew, asking him to keep quiet.

When other passengers in the bus asked Srinivasa why he was beating the child, he said he, being the boy’s uncle, had the right to beat him to set him right.

At this juncture, the boy told the passengers he did not know ‘the man’. This alarmed the people. Despite repeated questioning and Srinivasa’s claims, the boy insisted he did not know Srinivasa. Suspecting him to be a kidnapper, people took Srinivasa to a police station. Initially, even the police did not believe Srinivasa when he said he is the boy’s uncle. It was only when he was allowed a call that he informed the boy’s father, Venkatesh, about the incident.

Venkatesh rushed to the police station and cleared the air. However, even then the boy stood his ground and maintained that he did not know Srinivasa. The boy did tell police, though, that Venkatesh is his father.

Venkatesh said it was the first time his son did something like this and that he was shocked over it. In fact, he said the boy is very much attached to Srinivasa. The troubled uncle was allowed to go from the police station after Venkatesh gave in written that Srinivasa is his brother.

Later, Srinivasa told DNA he plays with his nephew every day after he comes from school. On Wednesday, he took the boy along when he was going to buy chicken. As he was drunk, people started suspecting him when the boy claimed he did not know him.

Bewildering as it may be, the incident has taught Srinivasa one thing. He said he has learnt that one should not take children with them when they go to have a drink.