The legal age for defining `juvenile' in criminal cases should be lowered to 14 from the current 18 years, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Thursday.

He would discuss this issue with Union home minister Amit Shah, he said, speaking to reporters at Baramati in Pune district, his assembly constituency.

The two college students who allegedly hacked a friend to death in Baramati recently were 17 years old, he noted, and pointed out that under the current criminal law a stringent punishment can be awarded only if an accused is above 18.

Incidentally, the son of a builder who mowed down two people while driving a Porsche car in Pune in May this year was 17 years old.

"Earlier, the age group of 18 to 20 years was considered appropriate for determining adulthood. However, times have changed, and children today are far more aware and informed. Young kids now ask questions that we could not have thought of until after the fifth grade. Some officials believe that the age threshold should be lowered from 18 to 14," said Pawar, "Seventeen-year-olds are well aware that they can escape severe punishment after committing a crime (due to their age). It has been observed that 15-, 16-, or 17-year-old youngsters are increasingly involved in criminal activities. We need to communicate this concern to the Centre when new laws are drafted," Pawar added.

He plans to discuss this issue with Union home minister Amit Shah when they meet next and also write a formal letter to the Centre on the issue, the deputy CM said.

He would also discuss the issue with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Pawar said.

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