Following the incident, traders under the leadership of Bhimtal Vyapar Mandal president Pankaj Joshi submitted a written complaint to police.
The traders also handed over CCTV footage and requested authorities to identify the accused and take strict legal action against them.
They demanded that the youths seen in the footage should be traced and arrested quickly.
Police are expected to examine the CCTV video and investigate the matter further.
Social media reactions pour in
The viral footage triggered a flood of reactions online, with many people expressing sadness, anger and disappointment.
One user wrote that stealing paneer from a small hill shop where locals still trust strangers enough to leave goods outside was deeply upsetting. The person added that local residents welcome tourists warmly and often help visitors with kindness.
Another user shared a personal experience from Mukteshwar in 2019, claiming they had once accidentally left a bag containing a laptop and purse on the roadside and later found it untouched at the same place after several hours.
Some users questioned whether the accused were actually tourists, saying the identity of the youths had not yet been officially confirmed.
Others suggested there could be more context to the incident and said investigations should be completed before reaching conclusions.
At the same time, many people criticised the alleged act and said such behaviour harms the reputation of tourism in hill states.