PUNE A woman forest guard, who is three months pregnant, along with her husband was allegedly thrashed by a former sarpanch and his wife at a village in Satara district of Maharashtra.
Following the incident, the couple was arrested, police said on Thursday.
As the video of the duo beating woman forest guard went viral, Maharashtra environment minister Aaditya Thackeray tweeted informing about the arrest.
The incident took place in Palsawade village of the western Maharashtra district on Wednesday, officials said.
According to police, the accused man, who is a member of the local forest management committee, was angry with the forest guard for taking the contractual forest labourers along with her “without his permission”.
A video of the assault incident has gone viral on social media.
Sharing the video on his Twitter handle on Thursday, Thackeray said, “The accused has been arrested this morning and will face the law at its strictest. Such acts will not be tolerated.”
Satara superintendent of police Ajay Kumar Bansal said the accused man is a former sarpanch of Palsawade village and a member of the local forest management committee.
{{/usCountry}}Satara superintendent of police Ajay Kumar Bansal said the accused man is a former sarpanch of Palsawade village and a member of the local forest management committee.
{{/usCountry}}“He and his wife allegedly beat up the woman forest guard, who is three months pregnant, along with her husband as the accused was angry over the guard taking the contractual forest labourers along with her without his permission,” he said.
“Since the forest guard is pregnant, a medical examination of her foetus will be carried out. If the foetus is found harmed, relevant sections will be slapped against the accused duo,” he said.