An eight-year-old boy accused of brutally assaulting a six-year-old kindergarten student at a government school in Panchkula has been granted bail by the Juvenile Justice Board and the incident, which took place on October 28, has raised serious concerns about children's behaviour, school safety and the impact of violent video games.
According to reports, the incident took place inside an abandoned classroom and was captured on CCTV. The boy allegedly attacked the girl with a brick, slammed her against a bench, dragged her by her school tie and kicked her until she lost consciousness.
The girl was admitted to PGIMER last week and was discharged on Wednesday. Hospital authorities gave her a warm send-off following her recovery.
According to an official, the boy told counsellors that he believed he would “get points” by beating the girl.
The boy was reportedly addicted to Free Fire, a battle royale game available on the Google Play Store. The game is recommended for users aged 16 and above and is described as containing moderate violence.
Free Fire is a multiplayer survival game in which players compete to become the last survivor. Each round lasts around 10 minutes, and the game is available for free download, however, the reported gaming habit has raised questions about whether the child’s exposure to violent content could have influenced his behaviour.
Following the incident, the eight-year-old was sent to an observation home in Ambala before the Juvenile Justice Board granted him bail.
Outside the Board's office, the boy appeared cheerful and smiled at reporters. He reportedly shook hands and said he was fine.
A counsellor described him as intelligent, observant and not shy, and according to a police official, the boy was also talking about getting a Spider-Man tattoo.
His lawyer, Manbir Singh Rathi, said the child recognised him as an advocate and understood that he had come to secure his release.
The boy reportedly has older friends. His father works as a driver, while his mother is a homemaker.
A psychological evaluation reportedly recommended medical treatment and counselling for the child.
His parents have assured the Juvenile Justice Board that they will ensure he receives the required treatment and counselling.
Clinical child psychologist Dr Adarsh Kohli has recommended a behavioural assessment, anger management, emotional regulation, behaviour therapy and counselling for both the child and his parents and she also highlighted concerns about compulsive gaming habits, warning that such behaviour can be difficult to break and may, in some cases, be harder to overcome than cannabis addiction.
The recommendations focus on understanding the child's behaviour, helping him manage emotions and ensuring that his parents receive guidance on how to support him.
The case has brought attention to the need for early behavioural intervention, parental supervision and proper counselling when children display aggressive behaviour.
