MP woman stripped naked, beaten over 'black magic' suspicions, 3 held

A police officer said the accused allegedly blamed the 45-year-old victim of casting an evil eye on some of her relatives and making them fall ill.

A woman was allegedly stripped naked and assaulted by her relatives who were also her neig at a village in Madhya Pradesh over suspicions of the victim “casting an evil eye” on some of them.

Representational image.

The incident was reported from Mandavi village in Dhar district and police said three of the four accused, who were also her neighbours, in the case had been arrested.

The police action came on Friday after a video of the incident became viral during the day on social media.

An officer said the accused allegedly blamed the 45-year-old victim of casting an evil eye on some of her relatives and making them fall ill.

“We have arrested three of the four accused on the basis of a video that went viral during the day. The accused were charged with sections 307 (attempt to murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty and other relevant provisions of the IPC," Dhar superintendent of police Aditya Pratap Singh said. A search is on to apprehend the fourth accused, the official added.

According to a report in the Indian Express, Singh further said the woman was a widow who lived with her daughter. “The neighbours believed that she performed black magic and ended up beating her. We have registered a case under stringent sections of the IPC that will send a message across the district that such acts are barbaric and will attract punishment,” Singh was quoted as saying.

In the video, the woman was reportedly seen sitting naked on the ground as a man grabbed her by the hair and slapped her in the presence of a few others.

(With inputs from agencies)