Tribal woman disrobed, paraded in Dahod over suspected affair; 12 held

The opposition Congress and AAP, meanwhile, slammed the BJP government over the incident and sought strict action against the culprits. Talking to reporters in Gandhinagar, Gujarat Health Minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel highlighted that police action had been initiated in the case and the accused were “swiftly arrested”.

In disturbing videos of the incident that have gone viral, a group of women — all related to the woman — are seen assaulting, disrobing and dragging her on the village roads. Later, a few others join with bamboo sticks while the woman is tied with a chain to a motorcycle and dragged on the street. The woman is also heard begging with the driver of a passing state transport bus: “Run me over”.

Zala said that police reached the village and rescued the woman after they were informed about the incident. Zala told The Indian Express, “The accused are all in-laws of the woman. After rescuing her, we nabbed 12 people — four women, four men and four CCLs. While the women are in judicial custody, the men are in police remand for further probe and the CCLs were sent before Juvenile Justice Board. The juveniles had also attacked her with bamboo sticks.”

The police officer further added that the woman’s in-laws have accused her of being involved in an extramarital affair with a villager and had dragged her out of the house to bring her back to their home.

Zala also said, “Around ten months ago, while she had gone with her husband to Rajkot as a migrant labourer, he suspected her of having an affair with a man from a ‘higher caste’. We have learnt during the probe that the husband allegedly murdered the man over his suspicion, and is currently lodged in Rajkot jail, awaiting trial … We have told the in-laws that they should have approached the family court instead of taking law in their own hands.”

The woman has been sent for counselling and is also being treated for her injuries, which are “not dangerous” in nature, the officer added.

Zala added that the accused have been booked under 11 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as well as the Information Technology Act for abduction, wrongful confinement, outraging modesty of a woman and assault with intent to disrobe. “Under IT Act provisions are laid down for punishment for intentional capture, publication, or transmission of private images without consent of the person as well as for filming a video of violence and making it viral. We have slapped the sections against the accused,” Zala said.

As per the FIR lodged Wednesday, the mob had been led by the woman’s father-in-law and brother-in-law, along with women relatives of the family. On being brought back to the “family home” in the village, the father-in-law had allegedly locked her in a room before the police, led by Deputy Superintendent (Jalod Division) D R Patel rescued her and nabbed the accused.