Five minors stripped, beaten on VIP Road over ‘theft’ from stalls

In a shocking incident of child rights violation, five minor boys were fully stripped and beaten in full public view by VIP Road shopkeepers, who claimed the children had stolen goods from stalls two days ago.

The purported videos viral on social media show five naked boys, in the age group of 12-15, being beaten by two youths with sticks and forced to eat chillies as a punishment while passersby filmed the act early in the morning.

The boys cried and pleaded for mercy with folded hands but the two youths kept asking them for the stolen goods.

In the purported video, two youths can be seen intimidating the naked boys that they would call and shame their parents. The boys’ ordeal reportedly lasted for more than 15 minutes but neither the local residents nor other shopkeepers came for their rescue.

Zirakpur SHO Satinder Singh said, “The incident took place two-three days ago early in the morning. The boys were beaten on the charges of theft from stalls on the VIP Road in the morning. Seven suspects, two by name, have been booked and one arrested in the case.”

A case under the Juvenile Justice Act has been registered at the Zirakpur police station.

The Punjab State Child Rights Commission has taken cognisance of the matter.