The Mahadevapura police have arrested a group of six persons, including four juveniles, who allegedly tortured minor boys and forced them to smoke on the premises of a government school on Saturday.
According to the police, the victims, aged 11 and 12, who went to play on the government school premises in B. Narayanpaura on Saturday afternoon, were confronted by the accused who were smoking.
The accused, in a bid to rag the boys, forced them to smoke, and later tied them to a tree and also tortured them. The accused, after harassing the boys for some time, released them after they obliged, the police added.
The accused even recorded the harassment on their mobile phones and later shared the video, according to the police.
The boys went home and told their family members. Though the news spread, the family refused to file any complaint.
Considering the sensitivity of the incident, the Mahadevapura police took up a suo motu case and tracked down the accused.
Initially, it was alleged that the victims were forced to smoke marijuana, but it was ruled out after the police subjected the accused to a medical examination.
Two of the accused are major and they have been arrested under Section 341 (wrongful restrain) and also under various sections of the JJ Act and are being investigated.
While two of the accused will be remanded in judicial custody, the four juveniles will be sent to the State Home for Boys, a police officer added.
