Minor and his kin a terror in village

NEW DELHI: The juvenile who is at the centre of the gang rape and murder case had shifted to Simmi's neighbourhood just six months ago. People in the village said he had been a troublemaker from the beginning. His house was across the street from hers but her family maintained a distance. Neighbours said everyone avoided "that family".
The juvenile lived with his three brothers and parents.One of his brothers had married recently. Their father has a tea stall in the village and has been blind to his sons' faults, people said. The juvenile was notorious for bad behaviour and used to slap people. He had snatched a villager's mobile phone once but even then his father defended him.
"His father would brag he always carried ready money to bail out his sons," said a neighbour.
The boy teased other children, especially the girls in the village. "Never before had our kids been teased inside the village," said Simmi's mother. Yet no one ever complained to police about his ways. He hung around with his friends Nitin and Parveen, who frequently came over to meet him. Neighbours also said the duo encouraged his wayward behaviour.
The villagers said the juvenile's family intimidated everyone by quarrelling and not cooperating. TOI found their house locked on Saturday. They had left for a relative's place after Simmi's gang rape and murder.
The village is now waiting for this family's next move with trepidation. "Their shop is on the way to the main road. We will have to cross it frequently. What if they tease our daughters?" said a villager, adding the family should be told to leave the village.