40 people thrash 3 youth over social media campaign
According to the police, the incident took place around 11.30 pm on Sunday at Jhulelal complex in Bhatnagar locality of Pimpri, where the wedding of a girl from the community was solemnised and the youths had gone to attend the ceremony.
As many as 40 persons belonging to the Kanjarbhat community have been booked by the Pune police on charges of physically assaulting three youth who have been involved spreading awareness against the community’s practice of determining the virginity of a bride on the wedding night. The caste panchayat members were vehemently opposed to the youth for their stand against the ritualistic practice.
Prashant Ankush Indrekar (25) of Yerwada, lodged an FIR against the accused persons with Pimpri police station. Indrekar, Saurabh Machhle and Prashant Tamachikar were beaten up by the accused.
According to the police, the incident took place around 11.30 pm on Sunday at Jhulelal complex in Bhatnagar locality of Pimpri, where the wedding of a girl from the community was solemnised and the youths had gone to attend the ceremony.
For the last three months, the youths had started a WhatsApp group called ‘Stop the V Ritual’, to spread awareness against the practice of determining the virginity of a bride on their wedding night, police said.
It was around 8.30 pm on Sunday when the youth had gone to attend wedding ceremony at the complex.
After the wedding ceremony, the community held a caste panchayat.
“The panchayat finished around 11.30 pm and I went to the mandap where my mother and other relatives were sitting. Suddenly, a group of about 40 youths started beating us ,” said Prashant.
“The assaulters were angry about our social media campaign against the caste panchayat’s regressive and irrational practices. They kicked and hit us with belts,” Indrekar added.