The attacker and a 14-year-old who recorded the video have been taken into custody.
Bhopal:
A disturbing video from Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam, which has been widely shared, shows a 16-year-old boy repeatedly hitting three children aged 6, 9 and 11 with his slipper and asking them to chant a religious slogan. The teen also verbally abuses the three boys, accusing them of teaching them to smoke cigarettes and asking for the phone numbers of their relatives.
Police officials said a case has been registered and the teenager and another 14-year-old, who shot the video, have been arrested.
The video, whose authenticity has not been independently verified by NDTV, is reportedly from an under-construction amusement park near Amritsagar Pond in Ratlam. The children, residents of the city's Manakchowk area, can be seen crying as they chant the slogan and shield their faces from the teenager's attacks, saying they will not repeat what they did.
The incident happened about a month and a half ago, but the video recently surfaced and sparked outrage. A crowd gathered outside a local police station on Thursday evening, prompting the deployment of additional staff, but dispersed after authorities promised action.
A case was filed against the 16-year-old and 14-year-old boys for assault, battery, making threats and hurting religious sentiments. They have been taken into custody.