Patna: A 23-year-old lovelorn youth was thrashed with slippers and subsequently forced to spit and lick his own saliva at a village under the jurisdiction of Daniawan police station in Patna rural following the order of a panchayat on Thursday.

A video showing the barbaric act of the panchayat members went viral on social networking sites on Saturday. The youth, identified as Babbar Kumar, was apprehended from Shivchak village and deposed before the panchayat, which ordered that he be thrashed with slippers.

The panchayat, which was not happy with Babbar's behaviour, also asked him to spit and lick his saliva in full public view. The youth had no option than to obey and did what the panchayat members dictated.

However, Babbar's accomplices made a video of his ordeal. Sources said the video was uploaded on social networking sites on Thursday but it came to the notice of residents on Saturday. Babbar's family members refused to comment on the panchayat's directive.

"Don't drag the whole family into the controversy," said a close relative.

Babbar, a school dropout, was spotted with a teenaged girl of Shivchak village under Daniawan block in Patna rural last month. The girl's family members caught hold of the youth and thrashed him, suspecting him to be a thief. However, no police complaint was lodged then. The girl's relatives alleged Babbar used to follow her when she went to attend coaching classes. They lost their cool when the girl complained that the youth used to harass her.

On Thursday, residents again apprehended him and subjected to physical torture. He was let off after a stern warning not to repeated the offence.

Police officials posted at the Daniawan police station, however, feigned ignorance about any such incident from the areas falling under their jurisdiction. "No complaint has been made to the police in this connection. Let the aggrieved family members report the incident first," a sub-inspector on duty said.

The officer, who refused to disclose his name, said somebody told him about a video being circulated on social media. "We will look into the matter if any complaint is lodged," the officer said.

At least five videos showing youths eve-teasing girls have become viral on social media in the past two months. Such incidents were reported from Jehanabad, Patna and Nalanda districts.