BHAWANIPATNA: Bhawanipatna Sadar police in Kalahandi district on Thursday detained three persons in connection with the public humiliation and assault of a 56-year-old man at Badli village.
The man, Dhruba Rana, was allegedly tonsured, his face blackened, and paraded with a garland of slippers on December 7. Videos of the shocking incident went viral, sparking outrage among locals.
According to police, the act was carried out by Dhruba’s nephews and relatives who accused him of misbehaving with the daughter-in-law of his elder brother at a public tubewell on the morning of December 7.
On the day, Dhruba filed a complaint in Bhawanipatna Sadar police station alleging that his nephews Sribachha Rana, Giridhari Rana and Iswar Rana barged into his house on December 7, hurled abuses at him, and assaulted him with lathis. They accused him of misbehaving with Sribachha’s wife at the tubewell near his house.
Dhruba said he did not approach police immediately after the incident out of fear. He gathered courage to lodge a complaint only after police brought him to the station upon learning about the incident.
He further alleged that the accused forcibly tonsured half his head, blackened his face, put a garland of slippers around his neck, and paraded him through the village. They allegedly threatened to kill him and ordered him to leave the village.
Dhruba claimed he was innocent and said the humiliation stemmed from an old property dispute within the family. He added that the accused held a meeting and warned him that his house would be demolished and he would be murdered if he reported the matter to police.
Police said a case was registered and the victim’s three nephews, the woman involved, and other relatives have been detained for questioning.
Meanwhile, Sribachha’s wife also filed an FIR accusing Dhruba of trying to sexually assault her when she was collecting water from the public tubewell on December 7. She said Dhruba backed off and went away when she started shouting at him.