In a deeply disturbing incident in Nebua Naurangia village of Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, three Muslim women were allegedly assaulted and paraded naked on January 2.
The attack reportedly stemmed from allegations that the son of one of the women had eloped with a Dalit woman.
According to reports, members of the Dalit woman’s family barged into the house of the Muslim youth’s family, assaulted his mother and two aunts, forcibly stripped them, and paraded them naked through the village.
Their clothes were burned, and the assault was filmed by the perpetrators. Villagers reportedly stood by as spectators and did not intervene.
One of the victims recounted the horrific ordeal, saying, “They entered our home, beat us, stripped us of our clothes, and dragged us out into the village.”
Another victim, the boy’s aunt, alleged that “nine women and four men” attacked them and destroyed their belongings.
The Dalit woman involved in the alleged elopement is married and resides in the Gulriha police station area of Gorakhpur. She had recently gone missing, leading to accusations against the Muslim youth.
Despite the women’s denial of knowing the girl’s whereabouts, they were brutally attacked.
The incident left the boy’s mother gravely ill, and all three women have since sought refuge at a relative’s home, fearing for their safety.
The police have registered cases of assault and rioting against both parties. However, the local Station House Officer (SHO) stated that the claims of the women being stripped and paraded naked have not yet been substantiated.
Investigations are ongoing, and a separate complaint has also been filed by the Dalit woman’s in-laws in Gorakhpur.