Practicing ‘National Traditions’ in the US
If you watched the viral clip of a 7-Eleven clerk beating up a thief, you might have found it entertaining, as many people did online. You might even have thought that the thief deserved the punishment for brazenly helping himself to merchandise right in front of employees.
The video, showing an Indian American clerk beating the thief more than two dozen times on his legs and but with a lathi-like stick, turned the clerk into a hero on social media.
One Reddit user commented that he loved how the clerk “continues to practice his national traditions in the U.S.” Added another: “He brought the beating stick out of retirement.”
While you might be able to beat a thief with impunity in India, that’s not usually the case in America.
Police in Stockton, California, where the 7-Eleven is located, are investigating the assault and will submit their findings to the San Joaquin County district attorney, who may bring charges against the employees.
According to a report by KCRA TV, the suspected thief had stolen from the store twice before, within 24 hours of his fateful visit. A customer recorded the video of the suspect filling a trash can with cigarettes and other items, while store clerks watched, seemingly helpless until one clerk pulled the suspect down and the other railed on him with the stick. Following the incident, around 3:45 a.m. on July 29, the injured suspect requested medical aid from emergency workers.
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Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? We would love to hear from you about Chai Time. If you have contributions, please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]
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