Minor tied to tree, tonsured for stealing Rs.30

Bhubaneswar, Sep 10 (IANS) A 15-year-old boy was tied to a tree, thrashed and tonsured by a group of people in Odisha in full public view. His offence was that he allegedly stole Rs.30 from the pocket of a villager.

Although the incident took place Sunday in a village near Chandikhol in Jajpur district, about 120 km from here, police swung into action and arrested four people only after a local television channel telecast the footage of the scene Monday.

It showed a group of villagers tying Ganesh Guin, the son of a daily wage earner to a tree, undressing him, tonsuring his head and thrashing him.

After blackening his face, the group also paraded him on the street even as his parents and other villagers helplessly remained as mute spectators.

Police have registered a case and arrested four people in this connection, said P.K. Majhi, chief of the local police station, adding that more people are likely to be booked.