JOIN USCaste council strips, beats woman in R'than
In a shocking incident, the caste panchayat punished a married woman and her lover, who a fortnight ago had eloped from Pal Sarada village of Udaipur district.
The woman’s hair was cut, she was stripped and tied to a tree after lynched by villagers led by her husband in front of caste panchayat Pal Sarada village. The panchayat acted on a complaint by her husband Mauji.
Her lover was also tied to the tree and beaten up as a punishment for the crime of eloping with a married woman.
The Rajasthan government on Monday ordered a probe into the matter.
The police team which came to the rescue of the duo were stoned by the irate villagers injuring cops.
The Udaipur police has registered two cases against the villagers for outraging the modesty of a woman and voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from discharging duties.
A married tribal woman residing in Pal Sarada had eloped with her friend Prakash Meena who lived in neighbourhood a fortnight ago, police said.
The villagers, however, traced them from neighbouring Kherwada on Saturday and produced them before a caste panchayat on Sunday.
In full public view, the woman was put through severe punishment ordered by the caste panchayat.
Hari Prasad Sharma, superintendent of police, Udaipur said,“two cases have been registered against the villagers under sections 352 and 353 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant in performing duty) and section of 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the IPC.”
Probe ordered
Reacting to the incident, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that the probe will be carried out by a divisional commissioner and within seven days.
“No one has the right to take law in his hands. The law is binding to all and caste panchayats should understand that. There are certain customs like Mautana in tribal people due to which such incidents take place. We are not going to tolerate this,” he said.
FIR lodged
Police have arrested her husband and eight others responsible for incident.
“We have arrested eight persons including the womans husband Hamji and a deputy sarpanch Nandlal,” Kailash Dan, Deputy SP, Sarada, Udaipur, said.
“Total 12 persons were named in the FIR lodged by the woman and eight out of them have been arrested. Four are being searched,” he added.