Four men, allegedly belonging to the privileged caste, were arrested by the Rajasthan Police on Wednesday, 5 June, for brutally beating up a 17-year-old minor Dalit boy in Pali’s Dhaneriya village.
The incident took place on 1 June and according to media reports, the boy was beaten up for trying to enter a temple. The video, in which the men can be seen thrashing the tied-up minor boy, has gone viral.
However, according to the Pali police, the boy was allegedly caught in a compromising position with the daughter of the temple’s priest following which the priest accused him of molesting his daughter.
Speaking to The Quint, Anand Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Pali, said that the boy was taken into custody after the priest registered a case against him and the girl (who is also minor) gave a statement that the boy tried to force himself on her.
Sharma added that the boy was detained and sent to the juvenile board. He also said that the boy didn’t mention that he was thrashed by these men when he was detained.
Meanwhile, ANI quoted the police as saying that a case was registered under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act against the boy.
"After probe, he has been sent to a juvenile protection home. A viral video has come to light where locals are seen beating him, they've been taken on remand," the police said.
“The video went viral on 4 June after which we arrested the men who beat this boy up,” Anand Sharma further told The Quint.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)