Thiruvananthapuram: Three youths were allegedly stripped, brutally assaulted, publicly tonsured, and confined by a mob in Perumbavoor near Kochi over false accusations of supplying cannabis to a minor.
The shocking act of vigilante violence has sparked outrage across the state. A case has been registered, and five people have been detained by Peravoor police.
The victims, Alvin Shaji (20), Mohammad Alfas (21), and Gokul Deepak (18), were attacked at a soda manufacturing company. Alvin, who works there, had visited the unit with Gokul to help him seek a job when locals suddenly surrounded them and snatched their motorcycle keys.
According to police, the attack followed an earlier incident nearby where locals allegedly caught a minor school student using ganja. The boy, under pressure, mentioned Bhai Colony in Kandanthara as the source of the drug. The mob then rushed to a soda factory in search of the alleged suppliers.
They caught the youths and accused them of selling drugs to schoolchildren. They even brought the boy, who clearly stated that Alvin and his friends had not given him the ganja. However, the angry crowd refused to listen.
The youths were locked in a room and assaulted by about 15 people. They were stripped, and a barber was called in to shave off their hair with a trimmer.
After the incident, the youths filed a complaint with the Perumbavoor police and later got admitted to the government hospital for treatment. They had sustained multiple injuries, including swelling and contusions.
The Perumbavoor police have registered an FIR under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyayaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges of unlawful assembly, wrongful confinement, assault, and criminal intimidation.
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