(Trigger warning: Mentions of sexual assault and physical violence. Reader discretion advised.)
Three minors were apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting and harassing a 14-year-old boy, who was their friend, over a 'minor fight' in South Delhi's Hauz Khas, police officials said on Monday, 29 January.
When did the incident take place? The incident took on 27 January, after which the juveniles posted the video as a "story" on social media platform Instagram, the police said.
The purported 35-second video shows the 14-year-old being held at knifepoint and made to lick the shoes of the minors, who then sexually assault him and beat him.
FIR details: Based on a complaint filed by the boy's mother, the Delhi Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 377 (unnatural offences), 506 (criminal intimidation), 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
While two of the juveniles were 12 years of age, the third was 14-years-old, police said.
What happened on 27 January? In a statement to the police, the 14-year-old said that at around 6:30 pm on Saturday, 27 January, he was returning home after playing at Central Park in Hauz Khas "when three boys stopped him."
The three boys allegedly took the survivor to a secluded spot, and one of them pointed a vegetable knife at him.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan said:
“The survivor said that the boys... recorded the incident on his mobile phone, and threatened him not to tell anyone. He didn't disclose the fact to his family. One of the accused, however, posted the video on Instagram as a story. Another friend of the survivor (also a minor) saw the story and sent it to the his mother. She then approached the police,”DCP (South) Ankit Chauhan
Reason? According to police officials, the four minors, who belonged to lower-income background families, lived in the same locality and were friends. All of their fathers work as contractual labourers, the police added.
"The three juveniles and survivor used to be friends for several years and were residing in the same locality. During questioning, we found out that this was done after a petty fight broke out between two gangs of boys," a police official told The Quint.
While medical examination was done and the survivor was sent for counselling, DCP (South) Chauhan said that the video was removed from Instagram and Meta has been asked to remove it from its database.
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