Man allegedly tied to tree, beaten by mob in UP’s Shahjahanpur

A man was allegedly tied to a tree and beaten by villagers in Shahjahanpur after he and another youth went to meet a woman. A video of the incident went viral. Police registered a case against the two men and said action would follow over the alleged assault

Shahjahanpur (UP): A man was allegedly tied to a tree and beaten by a mob after he and another youth went to meet a woman in a village here, police said on Saturday as a purported clip of the incident went viral on social media.

The viral video shows the man tied to a tree with a rope as a mob surrounded him and questioned about his identity. The victim is seen saying he is from Palia area of Lakhimpur Kheri, apologising profusely and pleading, “We made a mistake. We will not come again. Please forgive us.” Superintendent of Police (SP) Saurabh Dixit said the incident took place Friday afternoon in Maholiya Veeran village under Khutar police station.

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According to an FIR, a 28-year-old woman from the village — who had married eight years ago — had recently started speaking over phone with the two men, Radhe and Sonu, who are her brothers-in-law by relation. The two men came to the village to meet her on Friday, SP Dixit said.

Police said the duo were talking to the woman when villagers caught them. Believing they were attempting to abduct the woman, they allegedly tied them up and inquired their details.

Both men subsequently fled the village, police said. A case has been registered against Sonu and Radhe under Section 87 (abducting a woman) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. SP Dixit said police have taken cognisance of the viral video. “If the accused were tied to a tree and beaten, we will take action against those who assaulted them if they file a complaint,” he said.