Tribal woman allegedly stripped and molested over land dispute in Beed: BJP MLA's wife among three booked

A disturbing incident of alleged sexual assault and stripping of a 40-year-old woman in Beed district, Maharashtra, has drawn public attention and police action. The incident, believed to be a result of a long-standing land dispute, occurred on October 15 but came to light only recently when a video of the incident went viral on social media.

Three individuals, including a woman, have been booked by the police in connection with the case. The wife of a local political leader is also among the accused. Chief of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, Rupali Chakankar, has taken notice of the incident and directed the police to act swiftly in response to the complaint.

Chakankar posted a X stating, "An incident has come to light in Beed where a woman was raped and stripped over a land dispute. As soon as I came to know about the incident, I inquired with the SP of Beed over the phone. Over this very outrageous incident, a case has been registered against Raghu Pawar, Rahul Jagdale, Prajakta Suresh Dhas. Police have been directed to take appropriate action. The commission will follow up until the woman gets justice."

बीडमध्ये जमिनीच्या वादातून महिलेचा विनयभंग करत निर्वस्त्र करण्यात आल्याची घटना समोर आली आहे. घटना कळताच मी स्वतः पोलीस अधिक्षक बीड यांच्याशी दूरध्वनीवरून माहिती घेतली.अतिशय संतापजनक अशा या घटनेत रघु पवार, राहुल जगदाळे, प्राजक्ता सुरेश धस यांच्यावर गुन्हा दाखल करण्यात आला आहे.1/2

— Rupali Chakankar (@ChakankarSpeaks) October 22, 2023

However, initial reports suggest that when the police initially visited the woman, she did not wish to register an FIR. It was subsequently revealed that the land dispute between the complainant and the accused parties had been ongoing for a decade. However, following a complaint lodged on the police portal, authorities recontacted the woman. She visited the police station on Friday to record her statement but left on the pretext of other engagements. It was not until Saturday that the woman returned to the police station, and a case was registered under relevant sections of sexual assault under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The investigation into the case is being conducted by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP)-rank officer. As of now, no arrests have been made, as the police are still in the process of verifying the facts surrounding the incident. This incident has garnered widespread outrage, with many calling for swift justice for the victim and a resolution to the ongoing land dispute.