New Delhi: A Congress councillor of Muktsar municipal council was booked while his brother and five associates arrested for allegedly dragging a woman out of her house and brutally assaulting her on the streets in Punjab over an alleged unpaid loan of Rs 23,000.
According to news agency ANI, councillor Rakesh Chaudhary's brother Suresh and his aides punched, kicked and thrashed the woman with belts and sticks. The incident came to light after a video of the incident went viral.
In the video, the men can be seen beating the woman even as her five-year-old son is heard crying. Towards the end of the video, the men are also seen brutally assaulting the woman's elderly mother who came to save her.
The woman's son apparently shot the video. One of the accused even sat on her when she was lying on the road.
Senior Superintendent of Police Manjit Singh Dhesi said Suresh Chaudhary and five others have been arrested. The other four accused, including Rakesh Chaudhary, are on the run.
Dhesi said cases had been registered against the 10 accused under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (house trespass), 354 (assault to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code. The six arrested were produced in a local court on Saturday and sent to a two-day police remand, he added.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh condemned the incident and said such acts of violence would not be tolerated.
Accused in the video from Muktsar have been arrested by @PunjabPoliceInd & booked for attempt to murder u/s 307 IPC. No one is above the law and such acts of violence will not be tolerated. pic.twitter.com/zxZvqJmiQi— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) June 15, 2019
State women's commission chairperson Manisha Gulati said it would ensure strict action against the accused so that nobody would dare to repeat the inhuman act". She said the police have been asked to take strict action and a member of the commission also met the woman in Muktsar.
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lashed out at the Congress-led government and alleged that the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating.
"Never came across an incident in which a woman is being beaten up so brutally. It is the real picture of the law and order situation in the state," SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said.
"Women are not feeling safe at their homes. But the government is least bothered. It should ensure time-bound and exemplary punishment to the accused," Cheema added.
AAP legislator and leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema asked the chief minister to quit the home portfolio if he cannot prevent such incidents.
"The law and order situation is pathetic in the state," he said.