A video of Indian Army Cadets being brutally beaten with sticks is spreading like wildfire via social media. Many users of both Twitter and Facebook are condemning the act and asking whether such treatment of cadets is “normal,” although some are defending the practice as “toughening up” new army recruits.
Brutality against Indian Army Cadets questioned
The disturbing video shows men wearing T-shirts with the word “Army” on the back beating a few Indian Army Cadets with sticks and lashing their backs with a rope. The young recruits cried out in pain, but those who are beating them seem to be spurred on by the cries. Also one of the men participating in the beating tries to gag one of the cadets, presumably to quiet him so that high-ranking officials don’t hear the brutality as it is being meted out.
So far more than 2 million people have watched the viral video on Facebook alone, although the video has also been spreading rapidly on Twitter.
Video of Indian Army Cadets goes viral on social media
Retired Lt. Gen. HS Panag tweeted in response to the video, “Video showing abuse in army goes viral. Is this normal practice? I am horrified. Not the IA I served in!”
Other social media users echoed similar sentiments, with some calling the beating of the army recruits an “inhuman act.” Others said that such treatment is why the Indian Army takes young people who are younger than 20 because no man older than that would allow themselves to be beaten like that. Still others said the beating was nothing but army recruits being toughened up.
Some social media users argued that the beating is not part of training and that the video is fake and aimed at making the Indian Army look immoral, but others said they have also witnessed such brutal treatment during their training. The Quint quoted an anonymous “lady flight lieutenant” with the Indian Air Force as saying that punching recruits who do not perform well is common.
