Police in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district initiated a probe on Thursday after a man and a woman were dragged out of a shop, assaulted and manhandled by locals in broad daylight. The act was also filmed by those present on the spot.
A video of the incident, in which the woman was humiliated by local men, was widely shared on social media.
SP Rural Bareilly Raj Kumar said a case had been registered under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 504 of the Indian Penal Code at the Hafizganj police station. Four persons were named in the FIR lodged on the complaint of the woman's brother, said the officer.
One person has been arrested, said SSP Bareilly Rohit Singh Sajwan. The boy is a tailor and he was in his shop when the girl came there, said the SSP adding that those involved have been identified.
In the video, a group of unidentified local men can be seen manhandling the two and pushing them around. The man's shirt is torn while the group is seen pulling at the woman’s hair and not allowing her to cover her face with a ‘dupatta’. Voices in the background can be seen asking someone to continue filming of the woman.
Mr. Kumar said the two were sitting inside the shop when some locals barged in after opening the shutter and started beating them.
