Vigilantes force girl to beat lover with sandals

A girl was allegedly ''forced'' by self-styled vigilantes to beat her lover with sandals in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district.

Though the incident occurred a couple of days back in Bithri Chainpur area in the district, it came to light on Friday, when a video showing the torture of the couple went viral on the social media.

The video shows the couple surrounded by a mob, abusing and hitting the two. The mob also is seen directing the girl to hit her lover with sandals.

The couple was let off after girl tied 'rakhi' on the wrist of her lover.

Police said that the couple belonged to different communities.

A case against unidentified people was registered by the police and a hunt was launched to nab the culprits, the police said.

''We are trying to identify the culprits from the video,'' said a senior police official in Bareilly.

The incident comes close on the heels of public humiliation of an inter-faith couple allegedly by the members of a saffron outfit in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district.