A 30-year-old tribal woman was subjected to torture and paraded by a mob that included her husband and in-laws, over a suspected extra-marital affair in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas on Sunday.
In full public glare, the woman was partially disrobed, hit with belt and thrashed by family and fellow villagers in the Borpadav village, where she resides. She was even garlanded with footwear and made to walk carrying her husband on her shoulders.
A large crowd witnessed the incident but did not intervene. Instead, some even cheered those torturing the woman while heckling her and shot the whole episode on phone. The video later went viral. Not just the woman but her purported lover, Hari Singh Bhilala, was humiliated too and was garlanded with footwear. Video clips that surfaced also showed a man dragging the woman by her hair.
According to the police, the woman was living with her male friend for the past one week after she had gone missing. After initial search turned futile, her husband and in-laws lodged a ‘missing’ report at the local Udayanagar police station.
On Sunday, she was traced to Bhilala’s house and the incident followed.
According to Superintendent of Police (Dewas) Dr Shiv Dayal Singh, after receiving the information, policemen reached the spot, and brought the woman and Bhilala to the police station.
Based on Bhilala’s complaint, a case was registered against identified and unknown accused under various sections. Twelve accused, including the woman's husband, have been arrested so far.
The incident comes a day after another tribal woman was set ablaze in Guna.
Former Chief Minister and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath targeted the ruling BJP, citing incidents of atrocities against tribals in the State. "The State government is indulging in political gimmicks in the name of tribals but the condition of the community has deteriorated in Madhya Pradesh," he said.
