Guj: Villagers thrash man after tying him to tree for attacking schoolgirl; three booked

An offence was registered against three persons on Sunday for allegedly hanging a man upside down from a tree and thrashing him after the latter attacked a girl in Patan district of Gujarat, police said. The action was taken after a video of the incident surfaced on social media, in which a man can be seen tied upside down from a tree and thrashed by some persons as onlookers gathered at the scene, an official said.

The incident occurred at Vana village in Saraswati taluka on July 22, and an FIR was lodged under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 114 (abettor present when offence committed) of the Indian Penal Code, inspector A M Chaudhary of Vagdod police station said.

''On July 22, a group of schoolgirls were sitting when a man, identified as Jivanji Thakor, attacked a 15-year-old student with a sharp weapon without any provocation, and injured her,'' the official said.

Some villagers nabbed the man and decided to punish him before the police were called, he said, adding that the police arrived and arrested Thakor.

An FIR was lodged against Thakor under section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon or means) and relevant provisions of the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the official said.

''Thakor claims he attacked the girl because he was upset that the students left the place after he approached them. He does not appear to be of unsound mind, but investigations are underway,'' Chaudhary said.

The trio booked for thrashing Thakor is yet to be arrested, he said.