A 22-year-old man was tied to a two-wheeler and made to run for about two kilometres on a busy road in Odisha's Cuttack city as he failed to repay Rs 1,500 on time, police said.

Two people were arrested after the matter was reported to the police on Monday.

"The accused were charged with wrongful confinement, kidnapping and attempt to murder," Cuttack city Deputy Commissioner of Police Pinak Mishra said here.

The hands of Jagannath Behera were tied with a 12-feet-long rope, the other end of which was attached to the two-wheeler. He was forced to run behind it from Stuartpatna Square to Sutahat Square, a distance of more than two kilometres, for around 20 minutes on Sunday.

A video of the incident went viral on social media.

"Some locals intervened at Sutahat Square and rescued the 22-year-old who had borrowed Rs 1,500 from one of the two accused last month for performing his grandfather's last rites", police said.

Behera promised to repay the money in 30 days but failed, leading to this 'punishment'.

After Behera reported the matter to the police, the two accused were arrested. Police have also seized the two-wheeler and the rope used by the two.

The police are also questioning traffic constables on duty between the two-kilometre stretch on why they did not intervene to stop them.