The village head of Bahariyabad in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur district was arrested on Tuesday for making a couple lick their spit and beating the married woman, the police told Scroll.in.
The couple was punished as the woman had married her lover against her family’s wishes, reported Crime Tak. The man and the woman had fled their homes but were found by the village head.
The video of the incident shows the village head, identified as Brajesh Yadav, abusing a woman while threatening to beat her with a stick. Yadav is seen telling the woman to lick the spit off the floor repeatedly as she refuses. He then hits her to make her do the act.
Yadav also removes her dupatta, a head scarf, as she tries to hide her face. After the woman licks her spit, he makes the man do it too.
Yadav said that he beat the woman as he was trying to convince her to listen to her parents.
The police said in a statement that Yadav has been booked under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (assault to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!