Runaway couple stripped, thrashed in Udaipur village

Tribune News Service

Jaipur, June 24

A 25-year-old married woman and her 28-year-old paramour, who fled their homes, were forcibly brought back, stripped and tied to a tree by a caste panchayat earlier this week. The police today arrested 14 persons, including the woman’s husband, from Kasotia village in Udaipur district under Sections 365, 384, and 354, SHO Rajendra Godara told The Tribune over the phone.

The accused will be produced in court tomorrow. To defuse tension, police personnel have been deployed in the village, he said. Married to Bhanwar Lal, Shanta was in love with Laluram. The two fled on June 20. They were caught in Udaipur district and brought back. After holding a panchayat of those belonging to the Meena caste, the couple was stripped, tied up and mercilessly thrashed.

The next day, Laluram was set free anf his family took him away to their native village Khori-Tekan. Shanta was brought back home by her husband. On Thursday, when her parents came to see her, they were reportedly kept hostage and beaten up.

The police learnt about the matter after a video about the incident went viral on the social media on June 22. “Laluram had to pay Rs 50,000 to the village panchayat for his release,” the SHO, quoting villagers, said. Home Minister GC Kataria, during his visit to Udaipur, told the media that action would be taken as per the law.

The Udaipur district administration has initiated action against the area patwari and junior officials for not reporting the matter to the police and their higher-ups.