Meerut: 23-year-old unemployed and depressed man goes on slapping strangers on street for dopamine rush, arrested; Watch video here

A 23-year-old unemployed graduate from Meerut has been arrested for allegedly slapping pedestrians, including a woman and a retired PCS officer, reportedly to experience a "dopamine rush," according to a Times of India report.

Identified as Kapil Kumar, the man had been dealing with depression following his father's death and his mother's remarriage. His erratic behavior, which reportedly included slapping strangers over the past couple of months, gained police attention after several complaints and the circulation of videos on social media.

Kumar's arrest took place on Sunday evening, bringing an end to what had been described as a "slapping spree" in recent weeks.

According to the police, Kumar was involved in at least three slapping incidents and has been booked under BNS section 115 (voluntarily). SP (Meerut City) Ayush Vikram Singh told TOI, “He lost his father around five years ago, and his mother remarried months later. He now stays with his mom and stepdad at Suraj Kund in Meerut. Kumar told cops he has been slapping people randomly while riding a scooter for a dopamine rush and also encountered suicidal thoughts.”

Dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain, generates feelings of alertness, focus, motivation, and happiness. "It seems Kumar has a medical condition, but it is unclear whether he receives medication. We're gathering more information about his background to determine the facts," said Ilam Singh, SHO of Nauchandi, speaking to TOI.

Police revealed that Kumar admitted to having a troubled childhood, with friends often harassing him due to his timid nature. "During questioning, he mentioned being jobless and stagnant at home, insisting he wasn’t ‘disturbing anyone.’ One day, he thought that perhaps ‘something good might happen by doing a few bad things,’ which led to his spree of slapping strangers on the road," the police told TOI.

A CCTV clip that surfaced online shows a man casually walking, only to be slapped by a youth passing by on a two-wheeler. The victim was identified as a retired PCS officer. In another instance, a woman filed a complaint against an "unidentified man" who had slapped her, later revealed to be Kumar, according to TOI.