Agitated villagers tie rape accused to bullock cart, parade him naked in UP's Bahraich

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A 22-year-old man accused of rape was allegedly tied to a bullock cart and thrashed by villagers in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich.

Agitated villagers of Visheshwarganj area first tied the man to the cart and assaulted him. He was then paraded naked, as per a video of the incident went viral on social media.

A girl from a different community had alleged that the man raped her in early April. The man went untraceable after an FIR was registered in the matter.

The video purports to show the 22-year-old, with his lower body stripped, tied to a bullock cart. Several men and women can be heard in the background, with some also being heard inciting a dog to attack him and others encouraging a thrashing.

Another person is also heard saying, "Let it go, what if he dies?"

After coming across the video, the man's family has filed a complaint with the local police.

"Based on a written complaint by a woman, an FIR has been registered against unidentified individuals under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for assault and causing harm," Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramesh Pandey said on Friday.

According to Pandey, the complainant alleged that her brother-in-law was tied with ropes and beaten near a village on April 3.

"The family arranged for his treatment and later, on Thursday, they saw the video on social media ... They have demanded strict action against those involved," he said.

Gyan Singh, Visheshwarganj SHO, has ruled out communal tension even though the incident involves individuals from different communities.

"Though the incident involves individuals from two different communities, there is no evidence of communal tension. However, police forces have been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure," he said.

Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Ramanand Prasad Kushwaha said the man had been booked in a rape case lodged by a woman belonging to a different community from the same village. The alleged incident occurred in early April but the complaint was filed several days later.

The assault had not been reported to the police before the video went viral. "A separate case has now been registered regarding the assault and investigations are underway in both the rape case and the mob violence matter," he said.