Shop owner, six others booked for stripping and beating three minors

Bengaluru: Three boys, all aged around 15, were allegedly stripped and beaten up by a grocery shop owner and six others in Hoskote, Bengaluru Rural, recently. The accused attacked the minors as they suspected them of stealing food items from the store.
A criminal case has been filed against Masthan, Pasha, Jabi, Shamsher, Nurulla, Gandhi and Ayub, all residents of Hoskote.Though a complaint was lodged on June 30, no arrests were made as the accused were absconding, police said.
However, the boys' parents accused police of apathy. According to them, Masthan, who runs a grocery shop in Khaji Mohalla, suspected the boys of stealing items from his store last week. "Last Thursday, Masthan and six others took the boys to an arecanut grove near Sante Gate, stripped them and beat them up. After the incident, the boys developed fever. They revealed the incident only when we confronted them," they said.
The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has condemned the incident. "We have directed police to present the accused before us on July 12," said commission chairperson Kripa Alva. M Narayan, additional SP, Bengaluru, said they have taken four suspects into custody. "We will arrest the main accused soon," he added.