A young tribal couple from a remote village in Gujarat's Chhotaudepur district was allegedly thrashed with sticks for eloping by five men, including family members of the teenage girl, in the presence of villagers, police said on Wednesday, adding three accused were arrested.
The incident, which occurred in Dhada village under the Rangpur police station in Chhotaudepur district on Monday, caught the attention of the police after a video of the brutal assault went viral on social media.
"A team of Rangpur police rushed to the village on Wednesday and arrested three members of the girl's family after registering an FIR for assault and rioting against six persons, including an unidentified person who recorded the video and circulated it," Rangpur police inspector N M Bhuriya told reporters.
As the young victims, both 19-year-old, belonging to a tribal community are in love, they eloped together on Monday and hid in the nearby forests, Mr Bhuriya said.
"However, they were traced by family members of the girl who brought the duo to the village and thrashed them. A person shot the clip and circulated it. We have lodged an FIR against six men based on a complaint given by the teenage boy's grandfather. Three accused were already arrested," he said.
In the video, two men, armed with sticks, can be seen hitting the teenage boy who was tied to an electricity pole. Then, one of the men brings the girl near the pole and hits her with a stick repeatedly in the presence of some villagers.
The arrested trio included the girl's uncle, her brother and a distant relative. Three others are yet to be arrested, said the police officer.
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