Mentally challenged woman tied to pole, beaten up in Haridwar, 6 booked

Haridwar, Dec 21 (PTI) A 50-year-old mentally challenged woman was allegedly tied to a pole and brutally beaten by some people in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, police said on Sunday.

The matter came to light when a video, purportedly of the incident, went viral on social media.

The police said that based on a complaint filed by the woman's family, they have registered a case against six accused and started an investigation.

According to the police, a mentally challenged woman from the Labour Colony in the Ranipur area wandered far from her home and entered someone else's house.

The residents of the house mistook her for a thief and raised an alarm. People from the surrounding area also gathered and started beating the woman without knowing the facts, they said.

The mob tied the woman to a pole and brutally beat her up. The woman kept screaming and pleading to be released, but no one showed her any mercy. Meanwhile, someone made a video of the incident and posted it on social media.

When the victim's family members came to know about it, a fight also broke out between them and the accused.

After the video of the woman's assault went viral, the police were informed, and senior officials took cognizance of the matter and ordered immediate action.

The victim's son filed a complaint at the Ranipur police station demanding strict action against the accused.

According to Haridwar Superintendent of Police Abhay Pratap Singh, a case has been registered against six named accused, including one woman.

He said that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands, and this brutality against a mentally challenged woman is inexcusable.

The SP said that raids are being conducted to arrest the accused, and they will be apprehended soon. PTI DPT NB NB