Kerala YouTuber's family accuses jail authorities of forcibly cutting his hair: 'Unrecognisable'

Muhammad Shaheen Shah, also known as 'Manavalan' on YouTube, was remanded to judicial custody in an attempt to murder case.

Updated on: Jan 25, 2025, 21:42:02 IST

By HT News Desk

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The family of a YouTuber from Kerala Thrissur, who was arrested in an attempted murder case, has accused jail officials of forcibly cutting his hair.

The YouTuber was transferred to a mental health centre after he experienced distress due to the cutting of his hair. (Instagram/Manavalan)

The YouTuber was transferred to a mental health centre after he experienced distress due to the cutting of his hair, reported PTI.

Muhammad Shaheen Shah, a 26-year-old from Eranellur in Thrissur, known as 'Manavalan' (groom) on YouTube, was remanded to judicial custody on Friday for allegedly trying to run over college students with a car.

Jail officials said that his hair was cut following standard jail procedures. However, after he showed signs of distress, he was shifted to a hospital in Thrissur and is currently under observation.

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The YouTuber's parents and brother, however, claimed that the police cut his hair forcibly and then he was sent to a mental health centre by the Thrissur District jail officials.

They alleged that some amount of time is given to even convicted prisoners to cut their hair, but in the YouTuber's case, an attempt was allegedly made to cut his hair within two hours of him being remanded to custody.

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"His hair and beard were trimmed to such an extent that he has become unrecognisable. He had requested the officials to give him time to move an application against the cutting of his hair as he was expecting a role in a film and also due to his upcoming marriage. But they did not heed his request," the family claimed, according to PTI.

The family also denied the jail officials' claim that the YouTuber agreed to the haircut, stating that if that were true, they would not have complained to the court, the Kerala chief minister, and top police officers.

Muhammad Shaheen Shah was arrested on Tuesday from Kodagu in Karnataka where he was hiding. He had been on the run since the incident on April 19, 2024.

(Input from PTI)

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