Four persons were arrested by Karanjia police on Tuesday in connection with the forceful tonsuring of a boy and girl who were in a relationship.
The arrested four have been identified as SK Nasad (38), SK Mustafa (19) of Kuduma village, SK Asik (23) and SK Kotu (31) of Mandua village. They were produced in Karanjia Sub-Judge Court and remanded to judicial custody after their bail applications were rejected.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Karanjia division Narayan Nayak said that more than 21 people are involved in the ‘mob justice’ case and they will be arrested soon.
The SDPO said that a man and his female associate were beaten up, paraded, and later tonsured by some people on Saturday night.
The man, in his early 30s, had gone to Mandua to meet the woman who was ailing for a few days. He belongs to Goda Sahi village under Karanjia police limits.
A group of more than 20 people, including youths, barged into the girl’s house and dragged the two out. They paraded them before tonsuring them in front of the villagers.
They also filmed the entire incident and uploaded it on social media.
Receiving information, Karanjia police went to the village on Sunday morning and rescued the two. The woman registered a complaint against the people who were involved in the case.
The SDPO said that on the basis of the complaint by the woman and the viral video, a case was registered under sections 143, 341, 323, 324, 354, 355, 307, 509, 153(A), 364, 365, 368 and 149 of the Indian Panel Code.
Sources said the incident took place in Mandua village where the girl was living. She was sick and the boy used to frequent her house. The village youth took exception to this.