Minors tied to tree, thrashed in Muzaffarnagar dist, main accused held
A disturbing 22-second clip shows a group of men restraining the victims and thrashing them with sticks.
Two teenagers were tied to a tree and beaten mercilessly with sticks and belts on charges of theft, in Kawal village of Muzaffarnagar district on Thursday. The incident came to light after a video of the assault on the two minors from the Dalit community went viral on social media, prompting immediate police action.
An FIR was registered against three, police said on Saturday.
“We have arrested the main accused, Sachin, and are conducting raids to apprehend the remaining suspects,” said Rajeev Sharma, in-charge of the Jansath police station. The other accused have been identified as Ankit, son of Pawan, and Shubham, son of Satveer—both residents of Kawal village.
The disturbing 22-second clip shows a group of men restraining the victims and thrashing them with sticks. Taking cognizance of the video, local authorities took swift action, identifying the location as Kawal village under the jurisdiction of Jansath police station.
Meanwhile, the victims’ families, outraged by the incident, reached the police station to demand justice. The fathers of the two teenagers—Bijendra and Sunil Saini—lodged a formal complaint.
According to them, 16-year-old Ajay had been working at the electronics shop of one of the accused, Sachin, son of Jeet Singh, while 13-year-old Mayank worked at a neighbouring store.
{{/usCountry}}According to them, 16-year-old Ajay had been working at the electronics shop of one of the accused, Sachin, son of Jeet Singh, while 13-year-old Mayank worked at a neighbouring store.
{{/usCountry}}The parents alleged that Sachin and his friends suspected the boys of stealing copper wire from the shop. Acting on this suspicion, the accused caught hold of the teenagers on Thursday, dragged them into a forest, tied them to a tree, and subjected them to hours of brutal torture using sticks and belts.
Someone from the group recorded the act and later shared it online, leading to widespread outrage. The boys sustained severe injuries and were sent for a medical examination.
Following the complaint, the police registered a case against the accused under various charges, including illegal confinement, assault, and the SC/ST Act.
“Efforts are being made to arrest the absconding accused,” the officer said.
