A local Trinamool Congress leader was allegedly tonsured, garlanded with shoes and paraded through a village in West Bengal's Howrah district by residents who accused him of extorting money from beneficiaries of government welfare schemes.
Residents of Amardaha village alleged that Sannashi Manna demanded money from people seeking benefits under various social welfare programmes.
They also claimed that several Aadhaar cards and job cards linked to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme were recovered from his house.
Videos circulating on social media purportedly showed Manna with his head shaved and a garland of shoes around his neck as he was led through the village by locals. Police intervened and rescued Manna before bringing the situation under control.
A police officer said Manna had been rescued from the infuriated crowd. An investigation into the allegations made by the locals would be conducted, he said, although no formal complaint has been filed against him.
TNIE could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Since the BJP came to power in West Bengal, there have been widespread agitations and displays of public anger against local Trinamool Congress leaders.
(With inputs from PTI)