Six minor girls were stripped and paraded naked as a local ceremony to summon rains in central India.
The occurrence occurred in a drought-stricken community in Madhya Pradesh's Bundelkhand region.
Young girls were allegedly seen walking naked with a wooden shaft on their shoulders with a frog tied to it in videos viral on social media.
Locals believe that performing the rite will placate the rain deity and provide rain to the area.
The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights in India has requested a report from the Damoh district administration, including the village.
The police in Madhya Pradesh claimed they had received no formal complaint about the event but launched an investigation.
"Action will be taken if we find the girls were forced to walk naked," Damoh Superintendent of Police DR Teniwar told the Press Trust of India.
The footage shows the girls, some as young as five years old, marching in a parade behind a group of ladies chanting hymns.
The procession came to a halt at each home in the village, where the youngsters collected food grains, which were eventually donated to a nearby temple's community kitchen.
"We believe that this will bring rains," a woman in the procession was quoted as saying by PTI.
S Krishna Chaitanya, the Damoh district collector, said the girls' parents had agreed to the procedure and participated in it.
"In such cases, the administration can only make the villagers aware about the futility of such superstition and make them understand that such practices don't yield desired results," he added.
Monsoon rains are crucial to Indian agriculture, and many regions have ceremonies dedicated to rain gods based on local customs and traditions.
Some villages perform yagnas (Hindu fire rites), while others marry frogs or donkeys or march through the streets chanting rain god worship songs.
Cynics argue that the rituals are only a means of diverting ordinary people's attention away from their problems. Still, cultural specialists argue that the behaviors are a sign of despair among those who believe they have nowhere else to turn for help.
