Woman ‘beaten up, paraded naked’ by bootleggers

THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE A DAY AFTER THE MEMBERS OF THE PANEL ALONG WITH POLICE SEIZED ILLEGAL LIQUOR FROM A HOUSE IN THE AREA

NEW DELHI : The Delhi Commission for Women has alleged that a female volunteer working with them was beaten and paraded naked in northwest Delhi’s Narela.

The incident allegedly took place on Thursday, a day after the members of the panel along with police seized illegal liquor from a home in the area.

Rajneesh Gupta, DCP (Rohini), however, dismissed the DCW’S allegations that the woman was “paraded naked” and instead said that the women’s clothes had just “torn a little” while she was being beaten by a group of women.

“There were no men among the assailants,” said the DCP.

The women’s commission’s chief Swati Jaihind said on Thursday morning that the volunteer, who lives near the area, was surrounded by a group of men and women and attacked.

“The owner of the illegal liquor shop, along with a mob, surrounded the female volunteer. She was beaten up with iron rods, her clothes were torn and she was paraded naked in the locality,” she told Hindustan Times. The victim, in a video statement released by the commission, too said she was attacked with iron rods.

“When I was being dragged naked, a policeman arrived at the scene and tried to save me.

He asked the crowd to leave me, but they beat him also. They said they will do the same with the DCW chief and others who had come yesterday (Wednesday),” she said.

The police said that the victim was part of a two woman group of the ‘Nasha Mukti Panchayat’, a concept initiated by the local police in these jhuggis.

“A total of 312 quarters of alcohol and 12 beer bottles were found from the area on Wednesday,” said the deputy commissioner of police.

On Thursday afternoon, a group of women allegedly attacked the victim for her role in leading to the alcohol seizure.

“The woman suffered bruises and abrasions on her face and forearm. She did not suffer any fractures and did not receive any sharp injuries. The police team rushed her to a hospital,” said the DCP.

The police have registered a case pertaining to assault with intent to outrage woman’s modesty, making sexually explicit overtures and remarks, using word or gesture that is intended to insult the modesty of a woman and assault, among others.

Investigators said that they had taken two women suspects into custody.

The DCP pointed out that the couple, who owned the house that was raided was earlier, was booked in a total of 30 cases under the Excise Act.

“The injured woman had earlier this year got another assault case registered against the prime suspect. We had arrested the woman suspect back then also,” said the deputy commissioner of police..