Podar boy splashes dad’s lakhs in school

Ninth grader from plush Santacruz school stole from parents; school refrains from stern action; asks him, parents, to go for counselling

Podar boy splashes dad's lakhs in school

Ninth grader from plush Santacruz school stole from parents; school refrains from stern action; asks him, parents, to go for counselling

The name of the student has been withheld to protect his identity.

On Monday, the student was found playing with a packet in the classroom and distracting others.

It was at this point that the teacher got suspicious and asked one of the boys to stand up. He was frisked, which led to about Rs 25,000 in cash spilling out of his pocket. Others were rounded up and taken to the principal, where the boy spilled the beans.

The boy and his parents have been asked to undergo counselling.

"The boy said he was tempted after he saw the bundle of money. He is extremely sorry for what he has done and expressed the same in his written confession to us. The boy is an all-rounder and we are confident that with counselling, this incident will be behind him," said Fernandes.

The student has not been rusticated and isu00a0 undergoing counselling sessions.
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Initial reports suggested that the student was carrying cash to the tune of Rs 1.5 lakh, but principal Norina Fernandes said that while "the amount was sizeable, it was definitely less than that.

The boy may have bragged to his friends that the amount was that much, but it was not so".

However, sources from the school confirmed that the amount was indeed Rs 1.5 lakh.

Facebook buzz

The boy has been a matter of instant buzz among his friend circle and school alumni, especially on social networking sites.

"He had one packet which had Rs 1.5 lakh in cash and he showed it to one friend. Other friends convinced him to share the booty," says one friend.

Footloose and funded
In October 2007, three Std IX students from the Bombay Scottish School stole a Toyota Qualis, belonging to the father of one of the three, and went for a weekend trip to Goa. But during the journey, the boy whose car was stolen, developed cold feet at Mulund. The other two boys abandoned the car and sold their expensive gaming console to fund their holiday. Their parents lodged a missing person's complaint, which was withdrawn once the children were found in Goa. The kids received counselling from the school for their behaviour.

Shrink speak
With students receiving pocket money anywhere between Rs 5,000-30,000 a month, psychiatrists feel it's not surprising that peers who receive less resort to theft. Psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chhabria is often frequented by complaints from parents whose wards flick not only money from home, but also laptops, jewellery and mobiles to pawn for cash. "Alcohol and cigarette consumers are getting younger. Even relationships begin at a younger age now. Students are beleaguered by the fact that their peers have more than they do, and due to the lack of adequate guidance, are led to such acts."

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