A woman’s neighbours allegedly attacked her with iron rods and ripped her clothes before parading her in the lanes of Delhi’s Narela locality on Thursday. Their actions came after the 33-year-old helped the Delhi Commission for Women bust a liquor racket in the area, PTI reported.
The woman had alleged that her attackers were other women involved in bootlegging in the neighbourhood, The Times of India reported. The police have arrested six women in connection with the case, The Hindu reported. “Two were taken into custody on Thursday night and four on Friday,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta said.
The police said the woman was a member of the Nasha Mukti Panchayat and had assisted them earlier, as well. On Wednesday night, Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal and her team raided the house of a woman identified as Asha. The police said Asha and a few other women allegedly beat up the victim.
“The woman was assaulted by Asha and other women around noon,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Rajneesh Gupta told The Indian Express.
Hours later, in a video, the victim claimed she was “stripped and paraded on the road” for raising her voice.
“At 11 am on Thursday, the woman was beaten with iron rods,” Maliwal told The Hindu. “Her clothes were torn, and she was paraded naked.”
Gupta, however, denied the claim that the woman was “paraded naked”. He said her clothes may have got torn in the scuffle.
The woman also alleged she was injured gravely, but Delhi Police Public Relations Officer Madhur Verma said the medical report showed only minor injuries, according to The Hindu.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Utterly shocking and shameful that this is happening in the Capital. I urge honourable LG to immediately intervene, take action against local policemen and ensure everyone’s safety.”
At 9 pm on Thursday, Gupta said the police had taken two women into custody. “They will be produced in front of the magistrate to take permission to effect arrest,” Gupta told The Hindu.
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