A 17-year-old girl from Chhattisgarh's Baikunthpur died by suicide after being accused of shoplifting, according to police.Her family alleges that the supermarket owners confiscated her scooter and demanded ₹50,000 for stealing cosmetics, leading to her distress.The incident occurred on July 7 when the girl and her sister were at a supermarket purchasing household items.

The owners, Deepak Vaid, Vinod Vaid, and Jagat Vaid, allegedly forced the sisters to sign a theft statement and took the scooter, threatening to withhold it unless the ransom was paid.The family did not report the matter initially but informed an assistant sub-inspector.The police superintendent, Ravi Kumar Kurre, stated the girl was depressed due to the accusation and pressure over the scooter.

The supermarket owners are now booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for abetment of suicide and extortion, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.The supermarket has been sealed, and a cyber forensic team is examining CCTV footage.The family staged a protest, demanding immediate arrests, which was resolved after police assurances.The case highlights issues of youth mental health, legal accountability, and the impact of economic pressures on vulnerable individuals.