Gujarat Woman Tonsured, Threatened Over Alleged Extra-marital Affair, 6 Held

A group of villagers in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district allegedly tonsured a 30-year-old widow, tore her clothes and threatened her with dire consequences after accusing her of having an affair with a married man, police said on Monday. Four men and two women were arrested on Sunday in connection with the incident that took place on July 30 in Sancheri village near Himmatnagar town, located over 100 km from Ahmedabad, and an FIR was registered against them based on the victim's complaint, Gambhoi police station's sub-inspector P P Jani said.

As per the complaint, on July 30, the victim, who lived with her four children in Sancheri village, went to Himmatnagar with two of her sons to submit copies of their Aadhaar cards in a bank. On her way back, a man offered lift to the woman and her sons on his motorcycle till Raigadh, which is close to Sancheri, the official said quoting the FIR. The woman said in her complaint that she knew the man, a resident of neighbouring Arvalli district, as he is married to the sister of one of the accused from Sancheri village.

"When they reached Raigadh late Friday evening, four of the accused intercepted the man's two-wheeler near the village and started beating him and the woman, alleging that they were having a secret affair," the official said. The accused later took both of them to Sancheri. "At the village, the four accused along with two others allegedly thrashed both of them, tore the woman's clothes and shaved off her hair as a punishment. They also allegedly threatened to kill the duo if they saw them together again," the official said.

"We have taken the complaint and arrested all the accused, identified as Vadansinh Chauhan, Rajuji Chauhan, Kalusinh Chauhan, Rakeshsinh Chauhan, Surekha Chauhan and Sonal Chauhan," he said. A case has been registered against them under Indian Penal Code Sections 147 (rioting), 354 (assaulting a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty) and 506-2 (criminal intimidation), the official said.

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