Bombay High Court refuses bail to duo who stripped kids for stealing

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant bail to two person accused of assaulting and parading naked, two children, for stealing chaklis from a shop at Ulhasnagar, in 2017. The court observed, "Such type of offence damages social fabric and harmony. It is duty of every citizen to protect and preserve self-respect and honour of members belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe."

Justice A M Badar while rejecting the order of plea filed by Irfan Pathan (26) and Tauqal Pathan (22) said "Off late there has been constant increase in commission of atrocities against members of SC and ST. Such offences develop a sense of inferiority among the members of the SC/ST tribe. By such hateful acts, self-image, prestige and dignity of members of the SC/ST tribe is lost."

As per the prosecution case, the children, aged eight and nine, went to the neighbourhood shop where they picked up a packet of 'chakli', without the owner's permission and ate it. This angered the shop owner, Mehmood Pathan (69). He and his son chopped off the hair of the kids and paraded them naked on the street as punishment. The court said that the incident will lead to unbearable trauma, fear and behavioural problem in the victims.