Cuttack: Dhenkanal police on Tuesday arrested three persons after a video surfaced purportedly showing a young woman and her male friend being assaulted and harassed by a group of men while they were on their way to Kapilas shrine.The alleged incident took place on Sept 18 but police action followed after the video went viral on Monday.The incident comes close on the heels of a similar case in Bihar’s Jamui district where a Class X girl was subjected to harassment and molestation on the road by a group of youths, who also recorded the act on camera.Police identified the arrested persons as Saroj Nayak (41), Samir Nayak (37) and Sangram Rath (36), all three natives of Dhenkanal district. They have been booked for sexual harassment (under BNS’ Section 75), among other charges.According to the police, the man (26), a resident of Cuttack, and the woman, who is in her 20s, were headed to the popular hill shrine on a motorcycle when they were intercepted by several men about 13km from the shrine on the Kapilas-Tangi road.The men then allegedly made lewd remarks at them, which led to an argument. The video shows the man being verbally abused and allegedly assaulted by the group. When he attempts to leave on his motorcycle, he is repeatedly stopped. The woman, riding pillion, is seen pleading with the group not to assault her friend and not to shoot her video. Some elderly persons present at the spot intervened and asked the group to stop. However, the assault allegedly continued as others recorded the incident on their mobile phones.Dhenkanal SP Abhinav Sonkar said an investigation is underway and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings. “Police are examining the viral video and other evidence to identify the other individuals involved. A team was sent to the spot and the nearby village and interrogation is underway,” Sonkar added.Calling for stronger security measures, Dhenkanal resident Sudhakar Das said the incident reflected a wider failure in ensuring tourists’ safety. “Kapilas attracts thousands of visitors, but there is no adequate monitoring or regular police presence along the approach roads. If tourists are being stopped, harassed and assaulted in broad daylight, it raises a serious question mark about their safety. The administration must ensure proper policing and take strict action against those taking the law into their own hands,” he added.