Rajasthan: Women beaten, dragged naked by Chambal dacoit; SP dismisses it as media hype

Villagers claimed that a man in this family had earlier filed a police complaint against Gujjar and that the attack on the women and children could have had had a revenge motive.
Image for representation (Photo| EPS)
Image for representation (Photo| EPS)

JAIPUR: Notorious Chambal dacoit Jagan Gujjar and his men allegedly stripped the women and children of a family at gunpoint and paraded them naked through Dholpur village Wednesday night. The women reportedly were thrashed by the men as well.

The victims have been admitted to a hospital where they are undergoing treatment.

A family member narrated their 3 am ordeal: "As there was no water in the village, all the men had gone out with the cattle. Women and children were alone at home when dacoit Jagan Gujjar reached the village with his three companions. They entered the house and beat up the women and the children. They also made them remove their clothes and ransacked the house. Then, at gunpoint, the women were dragged through the village. This lasted for an hour."

The women informed the menfolk after the dacoits left, following which a team of cops visited the village and spoke to witnesses. The women and children were admitted to the Baadi State Hospital. 

One of the traumatised women exclaimed, "They have insulted us badly. We were made to roam in the entire village without clothes. There were four people - one came in a car, others came armed with sticks and guns. We have been humiliated."

A case has been registered against Jagan Gujjar and his associates in the Dang Basai police station. Head constable Jai Narayan Sharma of Dangbasai police station said: "These women who have been mistreated. There were other men also with Jagan who thrashed the women and children as they were being dragged naked through the village. All of this information was given to us by the villagers."

However, the Dholpur SP Ajay Singh dismissed that the women were stripped and paraded naked through the village, and at gunpoint, blaming the media for creating 'hype'. He said, "The women were beaten and dragged within the house itself. This is the official report registered with us. The accused have been booked under 307, 354, 323, 341, and 216 sections of the IPC. One arrest has been made and investigation is on." 

Earlier in the day, Gujjar had created a stir in the town of Baadi, where he and his armed men attacked shopkeepers at the town market, and ransacked their shops. Apparently, a shopkeeper had asked one of his men to pay for the tea he had the previous night.

Reportedly gunshots were fired in the air. The video of the incident is also becoming viral.

Villagers claimed that a man in this family had earlier filed a police complaint against Gujjar and that the attack on the women and children could have had had a revenge motive.

The police on Thursday had encountered Gujjar and his men in Basai Dang but as it was dark, the dacoits were able to flee, said SP Ajay Singh.

Gujjar, who had surrendered before Bharatpur Range IG Malini Agarwal last year, had returned from jail just a few days ago on bail.

Jagan Gujjar began his criminal career in 1994 as a petty criminal but in 1999, he shot to notoriety with big loots and robberies. He took shelter in the deep ravines of Chambal. In 2001, he surrendered before Dholpur SP but soon after his release in 2005, he formed a gang of criminals. In 2009 too, he had surrendered.

70 FIRs have been filed against him so far.

Gujjar had also asked his wife to contest Dholpur by-polls but she lost.

(With inputs from online desk)

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