Tension in MP village after tribal family accuses man of kidnapping woman

During the bandh on Saturday, the protesters attacked the houses of the man and his relatives, accusing them of kidnapping the woman, resulting in tension in the village, they said.

Dewas: Tension prevailed in a village in Madhya Pradesh's Dewas district after a tribal family accused a 20-year-old Muslim man of kidnapping a woman from their family, officials said on Sunday. Some villagers on Saturday attacked the houses of the man and his relatives in Udainagar village, located 90 km from the district headquarters, following which security was stepped up in the area, they said.

A religious place was also vandalised during the protest, police sources said. The 19-year-old woman went missing after allegedly going with the man on Friday, following which some of the villagers called for a bandh and demanded immediate arrest of the accused, officials said. During the bandh on Saturday, the protesters attacked the houses of the man and his relatives, accusing them of kidnapping the woman, resulting in tension in the village, they said.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Shobharam Solanki said based on a complaint filed by the women's brother Ritik Verma, a case was registered against the Muslim man under Indian Penal Code Section 365 (abduction) and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The police also registered a case of vandalism against unidentified persons following a complaint filed by the accused man's family, he said. Heavy security has been deployed in the village where the situation is currently peaceful, Solanki said. (PTI)