Youth forced to wash feet in Damoh:High Court takes suo motu cognizance, orders NSA action against accused; condemns severe violation of human dignity

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of a disturbing incident in Damoh, where a clip purportedly showing a youth belonging to the OBC community was forced to wash another person’s feet and made to drink water while a video of the act was recorded. The court has directed the Damoh police and district administration to initiate action against the accused under the National Security Act (NSA). Court condemns violation of human dignity and caste-based discrimination The High Court noted that the incident constituted a serious violation of human dignity and was an act of caste-based discrimination. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 15 October 2025.
Recently, in Damoh, a youth recorded a video showing the victim’s neck digitally manipulated with a garland of shoes using artificial intelligence.
Chief Justice orders FIR for sedition Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva directed the Damoh police and district administration to register a sedition case against the accused. The court emphasized that the manipulation of human dignity combined with caste-based harassment is a serious offense, and strict action is warranted. The court further noted that highlighting caste identities in such a degrading manner threatens social harmony among Hindus. Incident details and community response The video showed a youth from the Brahmin community being humiliated. Following the incident, the Brahmin community convened a local panchayat, where the accused were made to apologize to the victim. The accused not only forced the youth to wash their feet but also made caste-based derogatory comments, further escalating the severity of the case.