Siraha, August 22

A woman was thrashed mercilessly in the presence of ward chair at Kudwa Hanumannagar of Dhangadhimai Municipality, Siraha, on Monday.

Local Laxmi Kumari Mahato, 48, was beaten by a few individuals during a social discussion organised by ward chair Devan Sah on Monday. The incident, however, came to the surface only after two days. The discussion was organised after the victim’s son Amit Kumar, 19, was accused of lascivious behaviour and misbehaving with a girl from the same village.

Victim Laxmi bemoaned that locals Prameswor Yadav, Jaleswor Yadav, Fuleswor Yadav, Balesowr Yadav, among others, had beaten her brutally. She said that she had asked to have a meeting in the presence of police personnel. But, after the ward chair’s request, they had met in his presence.

“During the discussion, I was asked to pay Rs 750,000 in fine. When I refused, I was thrashed mercilessly,” she complained. She said locals had beaten her son Amit and tortured him in the presence of the ward chair. The chair, however, stayed as a mute spectator.

Laxmi, who has received injuries and cuts all over her body, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Golbazaar. Her husband is employed in a foreign country. Ward Chair Sah admitted that since the boy had made a mistake, locals punished him as per the social custom. Sah, however, said that he had left the incident site before Laxmi was beaten. “All girls are equal in society. Locals punished the boy for misbehaving with the girl. Laxmi was beaten after she refused to pay the fine,” Sah said.

Area Police Office, Dhangadi, had arrested some villagers when they heard that Laxmi was thrashed. But, they were freed in the presence of Ward Chair Sah on Monday itself as the victim’s side had not registered an FIR. Inspector Bharat Chaudhary said a case was filed with the police office saying that Laxmi’s son had misbehaved with a girl 12 days ago.