Three men have been arrested in Nagpur after allegedly dragging a 42-year-old footpath dweller from a pavement, hanging him upside down, assaulting him and filming the attack during an attempt to extort Rs 3,000, Beltarodi police said.
The victim, identified as Amol Kinnake, worked at a chicken centre near Somwar Bazar Chowk in Beltarodi and slept on the footpath near the shop. Police said he was attacked after being accused of stealing from the premises, an allegation he denied.
According to the police account, Kinnake was asleep on the pavement on the night of October 6 when Aloke Shende and Saket Gaikwad woke him. The two men allegedly dragged him through the street and confined him in a room. They then tied a dupatta around his feet, hung him upside down and beat him with a stick through the night, police said.
The assault was allegedly recorded by a third accused, Jaiprakash alias Thapa Dayali. The accused reportedly demanded Rs 3,000 from Kinnake and threatened to kill him if he did not pay. Police said the victim managed to free himself late Wednesday and approached them to lodge a complaint.
Beltarodi police have booked Shende, Gaikwad and Dayali under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to kidnapping, extortion, wrongful confinement, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and common intention. Senior Inspector Ravindra Naikawad confirmed the arrests.
Police said Shende, who stays at the chicken centre, has no previous criminal record. Dayali has three earlier cases registered against him involving hurt, criminal intimidation and extortion, according to the police. The case highlights the immediate safety risks faced by people sleeping in public spaces, where access to secure shelter and protection from violence can be limited. Police action and the progress of the criminal proceedings will determine the next steps in the case.
