Bhopal, Sep 11 (IANS): In a shocking incident, a 11-year-old boy was tied to a tree and beaten up by a priest of a Jain temple in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district.

The police swung into action after a video of the boy crying for mercy surfaced on social media on Saturday. Shockingly, the boy was reportedly punished for 'stealing' almonds kept for offering prayers at the temple. The boy's 'greed' enraged the priest who decided to teach him a lesson.

In the viral video, the boy could be seen crying relentlessly and seeking mercy from the priest, who tied him to a tree at the temple premises.

When a man asked the priest to free the child, he was told, "You just mind your own business."

According to the police, the accused priest has been identified as Rakesh Jain, a resident of Sagar district.

Later, the father of the boy lodged a complaint with the local police station. According to the complaint, the priest and another man tied the child to a tree and beat him up.

"A case has been registered against the accused priest under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," a police official said.