A young boy from Uttar Pradesh’s Baharampur area allegedly stole a gas cylinder and was caught by the public in broad daylight. The crowd that apprehended the boy was seen tying him to an electric pole and assaulting him with punches and blows. A video of the entire incident is now going viral on social media.
The post, initially shared on social media platform X (formerly twitter) by @lokeshRlive, read: "A video has surfaced of a thief being tied to an electric pole and beaten up for allegedly stealing a gas cylinder from a house in Bahrampur of the Crossing Republic Police Station area. The thief was caught by the public, but who gave them the right to punish him in this manner? @ghaziabadpolice Please inform us of the action taken in the above incident!"
In the viral video, a woman is seen mercilessly slapping the boy while other men standing nearby tried to calm her down, but she continued to attack the young boy and in between the gap another man, sneaks in to slap the boy but is later taken away The boy in the video appears to be a minor.
The viral video of a minor being tied to an electric pole and thrashed for allegedly stealing a gas cylinder has sparked a wave of intense reactions on social media. Many netizens, expressing a mix of anger, exasperation, and cynicism, likened petty theft to a growing societal “disease.” One X user said, "Brother, right now they are stealing cylinders; if possible, they will steal your kidney too. If this disease is not treated soon, it will become incurable. This disease is like TB, HIV AIDS, cancer, etc."
Meanwhile, the DCP Rural, Commissionerate Ghaziabad, confirmed that the accused who assaulted the boy has been arrested by the Crossing Republic Police Station.
The Commissionerate, replying to the viral post on X, stated: "In relation to the above incident, the accused who assaulted the boy has been arrested by the Crossing Republic Police Station and further legal proceedings are underway."
The public humiliation of accused persons is, unfortunately, a common practice in parts of Uttar Pradesh, where individuals caught in the act of a crime are often first dealt with by the public before the police arrive.
