The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, though it came to public attention on Sunday when the victim’s mother reached the Superintendent of Police (SP) office seeking justice. According to her, officials at the SP office redirected her to Rajgarh police station, which in turn asked her to approach Biaora police, citing jurisdiction. She alleged that even at Biaora police station, her complaint was not formally registered.
The woman claimed that the youth seen in the viral video is her son, who had left home on Friday stating that he was going to work. He did not return, and the family had no information about his whereabouts until an acquaintance showed her the video circulating on social media.
In the footage, several men can be seen restraining the youth while others pull his beard and cut his hair with scissors. Blood is visible on his head, and multiple bystanders appear to be recording the assault on their mobile phones instead of intervening. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
The victim’s mother said her family has been residing in the Khilchipur police station area for nearly two decades. She lives with her three sons, all of whom work as daily-wage labourers. “I still don’t know why my son was treated so brutally or who these people are,” she said, adding that she has been desperately trying to locate him since the incident.
Police responses have added to the confusion. Officials at Biaora police station stated that the woman had approached them with a complaint regarding her son’s disappearance but did not mention the video evidence of the assault. “If the video is formally brought to our notice, we will conduct an investigation and take action accordingly,” a police officer said.
The case has raised serious questions about police responsiveness, especially in incidents involving clear visual evidence of violence. Legal experts note that police can register a case suo motu based on viral videos showing cognisable offences.
As of Monday, no FIR had been registered, and the whereabouts of the victim remained unknown. Senior police officials have not yet issued a detailed statement. The incident has sparked concern among local residents and rights groups, who are demanding immediate registration of a case, identification of the attackers, and the victim’s safe recovery.
