Rajasthan: Pregnant tribal woman paraded naked by husband, in-laws; 3 arrested

The incident came to the fore on Friday when the video went viral on social media following which the woman visited the local police station and filed a case against 10 people, including her husband and father-in-law, said police

Rajasthan Police on Friday night arrested a man and his two aides for parading his 20-year-old pregnant wife, a tribal woman, naked in front of the villagers in Pratapgarh’s Dhariyawad.

(Representative Photo)

The incident took place on Thursday, the video of the same also surfaced on social media platforms, uploaded by the accused, said police.

Additional director general of police (ADG) (crime) Dinesh MN said, “Fifteen days ago, the woman allegedly fled with another man identified as Shiva, who is the resident of a village about two to three kilometres away from her in-law’s place in Dhariyawad’s Nichlakota village. After recovering the woman from that man’s place on Thursday, her husband, in-laws, and also a few neighbours paraded her naked in front of the entire village out of revenge.”

The woman was also reportedly beaten by the perpetrators during the incident, said the ADG.

The incident came to the fore on Friday when the video went viral on social media following which the woman visited the local police station and filed a case against 10 people, including her husband and father-in-law, said police.

Based on the complaint of the victim, a case was filed under section 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), 498 (enticing or taking away a married woman), 354 A (punishment for a man who engages in unwelcome and explicit sexual behaviour), and B (assaulting or using criminal force to any woman with the intention of disrobing or compelling her to be naked), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 294 (recites or utters obscene song or words), of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and also section 67 of the Information Technology Act (punishment for publishing obscene material in electronic form).

The inspector general of police (IGP) in Banswara range, S Parimala said, “The woman was pregnant while being paraded naked on Thursday. Police got the information last evening. We have arrested the prime accused in the incident- the woman’s husband Kanha Meena, and his two aides Nathu Meena and Beliya Meena within a few hours of the FIR (first information report) was lodged last night.”

However, during the inception, “the three sustained minor injuries by stumbling while trying to escape following which they were admitted to a local hospital for treatment,” said IG.

Following the incident, the director general of police (DGP) Umesh Mishra directed the ADGP to immediately reach the spot and nab the perpetrators at the earliest.

Police have also formed six teams to investigate the matter.

“We are in the process of detaining more people in a few hours. We also suspect three to four other people whose names were not registered in the FIR by the woman but were seen in the video to provoke the accused. An investigation will also be probed against them. Police are also searching for the person who uploaded the video on social media,” ADG MN Dinesh said.

Meanwhile, the incident sparked a political salvo as the former chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vasundhara Raje wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “The administration didn’t even have any idea about the Pratapgarh incident till the video went viral on social media...The Congress government should be held accountable to make the state number one in crime against women. CM, why can’t your Congress government hear the scream of our women?”

Responding, chief minister Ashok Gehlot said that he has directed the DGP to take strict action in this matter

“DGP has already directed the ADGP to take the strictest action against the culprits. Such criminals have no space in a civilised society. They will be arrested soon and the case will be transferred to a fast-track court to ensure punishment for them immediately,” Gehlot wrote on X.

Condemning the incident the National Commission for Women took X and wrote, “NCW vehemently condemns the harrowing incident in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan. A woman was molested, stripped, and recorded on video. Despite it happening two days ago, police inaction is unacceptable. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma has instructed the state’s DGP to promptly arrest the culprits and invoke necessary IPC provisions. We demand a comprehensive report within five days.”