It is alleged that a mob of over 25 people assaulted the woman with iron rods
A woman in Delhi who took part in a late night raid against illegal liquor trade in her colony alleges she was attacked by a large mob of men and women that beat her with iron rods, tore her clothes and paraded her as an "example". Six people have been arrested, the police said today.
"I was dragged and stripped...I only protested against the open sale of illegal liquor and they punished me," the woman says, weeping, in a video shared by Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal.
Ms Maliwal alleges that a mob of over 25 people assaulted the woman with iron rods. "Her clothes were torn and she was paraded naked in the area and the entire incident was filmed and the video was allegedly shared in the area by these criminals. The entire incident proves complete lawlessness and zero fear of law in the area and it is shocking that police did not take any action to protect these women," she said.
She also ripped into the police for tweeting that it was "reaction and quarrel by some ladies of same (slum) cluster as victim".
After visiting the woman in hospital this morning, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal described the incident as "shocking and shameful" and said he would take it up with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal.
"The woman was beaten with iron rods, threatened with her life, she was also paraded with torn clothes to send a message to the locality. I believe the cops are involved, as this kind of a racket cannot function without their knowledge," said Mr Kejriwal.
The woman, a resident of Narela, is part of the community policing scheme started by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and had reported that illegal alcohol was being sold openly in her colony. On Wednesday night, she went with a raid team of the Delhi Commission for Women and the police.
Some 300 bottles of illegal liquor were allegedly seized from houses where she took the raid team. Hours later, she says, she was attacked not just by men but also women allegedly involved in the racket.
"A policeman who tried to stop them and protect me was also thrashed. They also said that they would do the same with (Swati) Maliwal and other women who will oppose their actions," the woman sobs in the video posted by Ms Maliwal.
Ms Maliwal has summoned the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the district, Rajneesh Gupta, on Tuesday and asked for a report on action taken against the attackers.
Rajneesh Gupta said the woman was beaten and her clothes were "torn a bit", but she was not paraded naked.