A man was allegedly hung upside down from a tree and brutally thrashed with sticks by five people at a village in Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur district, reported news agency ANI.
After the video of the incident went viral on social media and five persons involved in the attack have been arrested.
"Police took cognizance of matter where some people were beating a man. 5 people were arrested in the matter and an investigation is underway," Rohit Jha, ASP Bilaspur Rural, told news agency ANI.
According to PTI, the incident that took place in Uchchbhatti village under Sipat police station limits.
"While three of the attackers identified as Manish Khare, Shivraj Khare and Janu Bhargav were taken into custody late on Friday evening, Bhim Kesarwani and a 15-year-old boy, were nabbed this morning," a senior police official told PTI.
The victim, Mahaveer Suryawanshi, a native of Ratanpur area of the district, has been living in Uchchbhatti and working as labourer and watchman.
On the intervening night of April 25 and 26, Manish allegedly spotted Suryawanshi trying to sneak into his house. Suryawanshi managed to escape, but the next day, Manish caught him and handed him over to the police, claiming that he was trying to commit theft, the official said.
However, Manish did not lodge an FIR against Suryawanshi, following which the police released him after issuing a warning, he said.
Manish has claimed that Suryawanshi again reached his house on Wednesday night and damaged his motorcycle parked outside and escaped, he said.
"On Thursday, Manish and the other four accused allegedly tied Suryawanshi upside down from a tree near a brick kiln in the village and brutally thrashed him with sticks," the official said.
A video of the attack shows a man hanging upside down from a tree, pleading for mercy, as five men hit him with sticks.
(With inputs from PTI)
