115 people booked for stripping, beating Dalit woman in Jharkhand; 10 women among accused

A case of stripping and mercilessly beating a Dalit woman has come to the fore. The incident happened after local panchayat body in Jharkhand's Dumka ordered the woman to be stripped following an illicit affair of her daughter with a married man.

Dumka (Jharkhand):An FIR was lodged against 115 people, including 10 women, for allegedly stripping and beating a Dalit woman in Bhoratand village in the Saraiyahat police station area here, said the Jharkhand Police here. Action was initiated based on a complaint that a tribal woman from Jamunia village was brutally beaten and stripped naked following orders from the local Panchayat.

The case pertains to an illicit affair of the complainant's daughter with a married man. When the victim had gone to meet a man in the Bhoratand village, his wife caught them together. The wife held her daughter hostage and called the Panchayat. On learning about it, the mother went to her daughter's rescue but the villagers caught hold of her and after beating her mercilessly, stripped her naked.

After receiving the information, the Saraiyahat police reached the spot and intervened. The woman was admitted to Saraiyahat CHC, where her condition is stable now, said a police official. Based on the woman's statement, police registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC.

Vinay Kumar, the station in charge of Saraiyahat, said, "A case of beating and stripping a woman from Jamunia village has come to the fore. Further investigation is underway and based on the inputs, legal action will be initiated." Dumka SP Amber Lakda, emphasising the seriousness of the matter, said that the guilty will be arrested soon.