Locals in Sahibabad tonsure head of boy on suspicion of theft, police arrest five

If a complainant comes forward, the suspects will be booked for voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace, said investigators

Five men were arrested for allegedly tonsuring a boy after they suspected him of stealing ₹100 in Garima Garden in Sahibabad on Tuesday. The incident came to light on Tuesday after videos were shared on social media platforms claiming the boy was tonsured because of his faith, said investigators.

The incident came to light on Tuesday after videos were shared on social media platforms claiming the boy was tonsured because of his faith, said investigators. (Representative Image)

“There was no issue of anyone targeted because of their faith. After the video went viral, our teams traced the men who tonsured the boy and arrested them. The men suspected the boy of being a thief and tonsured him as punishment. The boy is yet to be traced but we have suo motu booked the five suspects under Section 151 (preventive arrest) of the Code of Criminal Procedure,” said Bhaskar Verma, assistant commissioner of police (Sahibabad).

The suspects were identified as Mohammad Salman, Shahrukh, Anil Kumar, Jai Kishan Pandit and Wajid. According to police officers, Jai Kishan operates a dairy and caught the boy after suspecting him of stealing ₹100.

The boy appears to be a minor but his age or identity is not yet known, said officers.

At least two videos of the incident were shared on social media platforms. In one video, several men hold the boy and forcibly shave his head with a battery-operated trimmer. In the second video, some men claim they have recovered a razor from the boy’s possession and an unidentified person urges others to tonsure him.

“We will book the suspects under Indian Penal Code sections also if any complainant comes forward. Our teams are trying to trace the boy and more suspects seen in the videos,” Verma added.

According to officers, if a complainant comes forward, the suspects will be booked under Indian Penal Code sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace).