JHANSI, Sept. 23 -- In a viral video which has apparently caught the Hamirpur police off guard, a kidnapping accused apprehended and shot in the leg recently is seen smiling, with one of the officers escorting him warning him not to laugh and instructing someone to stop video recording. Next moment, the accused is seen with a serious expression. The purported video has prompted social media users to raise concerns over the authenticity of the encounter.

However, reacting to the video which is from Sunday night, circle officer Rath Rajiv Pratap Singh insisted that the police officer was asking one of the constables, and not the accused, not to laugh.

Police were on the lookout for half a dozen individuals accused of kidnapping and thrash...