Villagers thrashed and tonsured four boys for allegedly stealing a mobile phone at Barachatti in Bihar’s Gaya district after tying them to a tree in front of their parents.
The four allegedly stole the phone from one person’s house on Thursday and were caught while selling it at a local market. Their hands were tied and they were marched on the streets for over an hour till fine of ₹5,000 was collected from each of the minor’s families.
Police on Saturday said they have started an investigation into the matter after the footage of the incident went viral on social media. The video purportedly shows the four being thrashed by a mob and their heads being tonsured in full public view.
Gaya’s senior police superintendent, Rajiv Mishra, said necessary action has been taken against the offenders and that he has asked the local station house officer, Kumar Sourabh, to investigate the matter.
“As nobody had given a complaint, we brought the victims to our police station and will lodge a case on the basis of their oral report,” said Sourabh.