8-yr-old thrashed for plucking mangoes in UP

An eight-year-old child was brutally thrashed by the owner of an orchard for plucking a few mangoes in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad district, about 200 km from here.

The incident occurred at Tudihar village in the district on Tuesday, police here said.

The child had sneaked into the orchard escaping the eyes of the owner and had plucked a few mangoes from the trees.

The matter came to light, when a video showing the owner of the mango orchard kicking the child and beating him with a stick, went viral on the social media on Wednesday.

In the video, the child is heard crying and pleading with the owner to let him go. However, the child's plea fell on deaf ears.

A few people from the crowd that had gathered at the orchard on hearing the cries of the child can also be heard telling the orchard owner to spare the child but he did not stop.

A police team, which reached the village upon being informed about the incident, nabbed the owner of the orchard, sources said, adding that a case was registered in this connection.

"We are investigating the matter and make sure that the culprit was sternly punished if the video turned out to be true," said a senior police officer in the district.