Dhenkanal: A young couple travelling to the famous Kapilash Temple in Odisha’s Dhenkanal district was allegedly stopped and assaulted by a group of men, with a video of the incident going viral on social media.

The incident reportedly occurred on September 18 on the Kapilash-Tangi Road under Gandia police limits, around 13 km from the temple. However, it came to public attention on Monday after the purported video surfaced online.

Police said the 26-year-old man, a resident of Cuttack district, was travelling on a motorcycle with a woman friend when they were allegedly intercepted by a group of men.

The video purportedly shows the man being verbally abused and assaulted. When he tries to leave the spot on his motorcycle, the group allegedly prevents him from doing so.

The woman, who was riding pillion, is seen pleading with the men to stop assaulting her friend and not record her.

According to the footage, some elderly people at the spot attempted to intervene and urged the group to stop. Despite this, the alleged harassment continued, while several people were seen recording the incident on their mobile phones.

Following the circulation of the video, police registered a case and began an investigation.

Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar said police are examining the video and other evidence to identify those involved in the incident.

“A team was sent to the spot and nearby village and interrogation is underway,” Sonkar said.

The incident has raised concerns over the safety of tourists and visitors travelling to Kapilash, a major pilgrimage destination in Dhenkanal.

The case has also drawn attention amid recent incidents of young couples allegedly being targeted by groups of men and subjected to public harassment. A similar incident reported from Bihar’s Jamui district involving a Class X girl student and her male friend had recently triggered widespread concern over vigilante-style attacks.