Panchayat orders boycott of murder accused families in Bihar

A village panchayat in Bihar Monday ordered social boycott of four men accused of abducting and killing a five-year-old-boy in Gopalganj district.

The accused with their families were also asked to leave the village, police said.

"The village panchayat has decided to socially boycott the families of four accused as a punishment and appealed to villagers to have no connection with them," an officer said.

Sheru, minor son of Sher Mohammad of Pakhopalli village, was abducted Nov 26 and his body was recovered from a neighbour's house Nov 27, police officer Kamlakant Prasad said.

Accused, after abducting the boy, had demanded a ransom of Rs.five lakh from his father for release, said Prasad. It was revealed during investigation of the case.

Two days after Sheru was murdered, police arrested Mohammad Abid, Mohammad Hasan, Shahzad and Akhlak Ahmad. Another three people were detained for interrogation.

"We have requested people of the village and neighbouring villages not to drink water, eat food and have any social relation with the accused and their families," said a villager Naushad Alam.

This decision would send tough message for future, Alam told IANS over phone .

The Mukhiya of Barari Jagdish Panchayayat Ishwarchand Verma has confirmed the boycott.