Couple paraded naked in Rajasthan village, video goes viral
A couple was thrashed and then paraded naked in a village in Banswara district of Rajasthan after a khap-like diktat was issued. A video of the act was later circulated on social media which went viral.
A couple was thrashed and then paraded naked in a village in Banswara district of Rajasthan after a khap-like diktat was issued. A video of the act was later circulated on social media which went viral.
According to the police, the incident took place on Sunday morning in Shambhupura village in Banswara when villagers started assaulting Kachru (20) and his cousin with whom he was allegedly in a relationship. Shambhupura is a predominantly tribal village with most villagers belonging to the Bhil community.
“During the investigation, we found that Kachru and his cousin, who is 18-year-old, were in a relationship and had fled to Gujarat to escape the wrath of their families. But later, their relatives brought them back to the village,” Ravindra Singh, station house officer, Kalinjra police station said on Wednesday.
The police said that the after beating the couple, the villagers stripped them and paraded them inside the village.
“We got to know about the incident after the video went viral on social media. We went to the village on Tuesday to take stock of the situation and later brought the man to the police station where his statement was taken,” said Singh.
The police said that preliminary investigations show that several villagers had put pressure on the couple’s families. “The families have said that a khap-like order was issued in the village to teach the couple a lesson as they were in a relationship in spite of being cousins. The family members said that they didn’t have any option but to be mute spectators when the incident took place,” said the SHO.
The police said that a case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC and the Information Technology act against five individuals and around 10-12 unidentified persons.
“We have detained some people and it is likely that after interrogation they will be arrested. We are also trying to find out that whether members of the panchayat knew about this incident,” said the police.
Officials said that the man has sustained severe injuries and has been admitted to a government hospital in Banswara while the woman’s medical test has been conducted.
“We have arranged security for the woman and are also considering sending her to a government-run home in order to ensure her safety,” said the SHO.