Patna: A local court in Bihar was stunned when an eight-year-old boy in tattered clothes turned up on Saturday to pay the loan taken by his mother before her death.
Considering his age, the Lok Adalat (public court) organised in Begusarai district waived the amount he was asked to pay by a bank following his mother’s death.
According to reports, Anita Devi of Singhaul village in Begusarai district had taken a loan of Rs21,000 from State Bank of India in 2006 to run a family business when her husband, Sunil Mochi, showed no interest.
Two years later Devi gave birth to a son, Sudhir Kumar, now an eight-year-old. In 2012, when Devi died in a road accident her husband ran away and the responsibility of bringing up his son fell on his relatives.
Recently, the boy received a notice from the bank asking him to repay the loan taken by his mother 10 years ago.
The boy sought the guidance of villagers, who hurriedly raised Rs5,000 to pay the first instalment, reports said.
On Saturday, the orphan turned up at the Lok Adalat to pay the loan. His age, financial situation and lack of family support prompted the district judge-cum-chairman of the Lok Adalat, Gangotri Ram Tripathi, to summon bank officials and ordered the waiver of the loan against Rs5,000 deposited by the boy. He was also issued a receipt of settlement of the loan.
“We respect the dedication of the boy who turned up in court to pay his mother’s debt,” a villager quoted a court official of having told the boy.
