In a crime most foul, a 14-year-old boy was hung upside down and made to inhale fumes from chillies burnt beneath him while his tormentors laughed and recorded videos of the ghastly act.

The incident was reported from Pandhurna in Madhya Pradesh, where a group of young men accosted two juveniles, the other aged 12, and subjected them to this most foul form of torture as they suspected the duo had stolen a watch.

The three-minute video of the incident, viral on social media platforms, shows the 14-year-old hung upside down, crying and begging for mercy as his tormentor holds his head directly above the burning chillies.

The 12-year-old has his hands tied behind his back while he is pushed down to inhale chilli fumes. Police said that the incident took place in Mohgaon area of Pandhurna district on November 1.

Three persons have been arrested on the complaint of the teenager's father. The trio have been identified as Omkar Bramhe, Nikhil Kalambe, and Surendra Bawankar.Responding to the video of this vigilante justice, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath issued a strong condemnation of the incident.

Taking to X (Twitter) on Monday, Nath said, "This incident is extremely condemnable; there is no place for such incidents in a civilised society. I urge the local administration to take strict action against all the accused in the case."

He also asked the people of the area to be mindful of the good name of Chhindwara before engaging in such acts. Nath is the most prominent political leader in the region.Inverted suspension, or being hung upside down, is a medieval form of torture that can cause death. Chilli fumes can also cause a blockage in the airways and kill due to asphyxia. Vigilante justice is a crime in the country.The incident has yet again raised serious questions over the trampling of child rights and the growing trend of vigilante justice and other forms of violence against young children, who are often left scarred for life.Though there are stringent provisions that could deter such incidents, they are rarely invoked, and tormentors are often let off lightly.