In Maharashtra’s Beed, 25-year-old ‘thrashed, paraded’ by family of minor girl he fled with

Police have booked all of them under sections 323, 327, 342, 143, 147, 148, 149, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Arms Act. (Google maps)

In a shocking incident at Arvi village in Shirur Kasar taluka of Beed district, family members of a minor girl allegedly thrashed a 25-year-old youth, undressed him, coloured him red and paraded him in the village with a drum tied over his body, for allegedly fleeing with her following a love affair. The Beed police have lodged an offence against 62 persons in the case. According to the police, the youth fled along with the girl from Arvi village on April 25. The duo travelled to Pune, Kolhapur and Aurangabad on a motorcycle. Later, they took a halt at the house of youth’s friend in Nakshatrawadi in Aurangabad district. But, the girl’s family got to know about it. Her family members reached Nakshatrawadi and took the couple with them in a four-wheeler, police said.

The girl’s family then dropped her at a relative’s place and took the youth to Beed. In the midnight hours, they allegedly tied the youth to a tree in a farm owned by their relative and thrashed him, said police. The youth was then taken to a bridge on Arvi-Nimgaon Road in Shirur Kasar around 6 am, said police. The girl’s family members and some others allegedly tore his clothes and brought him to the market place of Arvi village. They allegedly coloured his face with sindoor, tied a drum to his body, and paraded him in the village. They allegedly forced him to beat the drum while parading. Some persons standing nearby, holding sharp weapons, allegedly threatened to kill him.

Meanwhile, some villagers informed the Shirur Kasar police station. A police team was rushed to the spot and rescued the youth and admitted him to a civil hospital for treatment. The youth later filed an FIR against 12 family members of the girl and 50 unidentified persons in the case. Police have booked all of them under sections 323, 327, 342, 143, 147, 148, 149, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Arms Act.

“Both the girl and the boy are from the upper caste. Based on the complaint filed by the youth, we have arrested the father and grandfather of the girl. Further probe is on,” said the police inspector of Shirur Kasar police station. Meanwhile, police said that a cross complaint was also lodged against the youth for allegedly kidnapping and raping the minor girl.