Nine people, including a woman’s husband and his relatives, have been arrested in
after a man was allegedly subjected to physical and sexual humiliation in the name of a “purification ritual”.
According to the police complaint, the incident took place on October 4 after the woman’s husband allegedly learned about her relationship with the man. The couple were reportedly taken to Surendranagar, where they were allegedly assaulted and subjected to a series of humiliating acts.
Couple Allegedly Taken To Surendranagar
The woman was reportedly married to a man in Vapi but had left him and moved to Chotila, where she had been living with her partner for around three months.
Her family later traced her and took her back to Vapi, where she was allegedly confined inside a house. The woman eventually escaped and returned to Chotila.
After learning that she had gone back to her partner, her husband allegedly informed his relatives. The couple were subsequently traced and taken to Surendranagar on the pretext of carrying out a “purification ritual”, according to the complaint.
Man Allegedly Tied To Tree
The complaint states that the couple were beaten with wooden sticks after being taken to the location.
The man was allegedly tied to a tree with a rope, while the woman was confined inside a room. He was later allegedly forced to perform sexual acts with the woman in a verandah.
The man was also allegedly made to drink the woman’s urine as part of the purported ritual, police said.
Alleged Assault Recorded On Camera
Police said the entire episode was recorded on a mobile phone and the footage was subsequently circulated on social media.
The case reportedly came to light after a community leader alerted police about the woman’s condition and videos of the alleged assault. Several police teams were then deployed to trace her.
According to police, officers eventually located the woman at a house in the area. After being brought to the police station and counselled, she reportedly narrated her ordeal.
Police are also investigating who recorded the alleged assault and who circulated the videos online.
Nine Arrested, Multiple Charges Filed
The nine accused include the woman’s husband and his relatives. They have been booked under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including sections relating to sexual intercourse by deceitful means, voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful confinement, and acts carried out by several people with a common intention.
The alleged videos are also linked to provisions of the Information Technology Act.
Police are continuing its investigation and are looking into how the incident was captured, along with the posting of the video on social media.