UP: Woman Tied To Tree, Hair Cut, Face Blackened By Panchayat Over 'Love Affair'. 15 Arrested

In Uttar Pradesh, a woman was publicly humiliated by a panchayat for an alleged affair, leading to her hair being cut and face blackened. Fifteen individuals were arrested, while five remain at large.

A woman was subjected to public humiliation on orders of a panchayat in Chhotki Ibrahimpur village, under Hatigaon police station in Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly having an affair with a man from her village, police reported on Monday. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, led to the arrest of 15 individuals, with five others still at large.

Additional Superintendent of Police (Western), Sanjay Rai, detailed the events: "The woman's husband, who works in Mumbai, returned home after learning of his wife's affair. They have three children together. A panchayat was convened in the presence of her family. The panchayat ordered the woman to be tied to a tree, her hair cut off, and her face blackened with soot", news agency PTI reported.

When the woman's alleged lover, a father of four, attempted to intervene, he was severely beaten but managed to escape, ASP Rai added.

Upon receiving information about the incident, police personnel arrived at the scene and took the woman to the police station. Inspector Nand Lal Singh, the police station in-charge, filed a complaint, resulting in a case being registered against 20 people, PTI reported.

A purported video of the incident has also surfaced on social media.

(Trigger warning: This video contains distressing visuals. Viewer discretion is advised.)

Efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining five accused.

American Woman Found Chained To Tree In Maharashtra Forest, Police Suspect Husband's Involvement

In another distressing incident, a 50-year-old American woman, Lalita Kayi, was discovered tied to a tree with an iron chain in a forest in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, police said on Monday. Documents found on her included an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address. Police suspect her husband is responsible for abandoning her in the forest, approximately 450 km from Mumbai, PTI reported.

An official revealed that Lalita Kayi, who appears frail and suffers from mental health issues, has been living in Tamil Nadu, her husband's home state, for the past decade.

The incident came to light when a shepherd heard her cries on Saturday evening in Sonurli village and alerted the police. Lalita was rushed to a hospital in Sawantwadi and later to Goa Medical College for advanced treatment. Doctors have confirmed she is out of danger but suffers from psychiatric problems, according to PTI.

The investigation has found medical prescriptions, an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address, and a photocopy of her U.S. passport among her belongings. Her visa has expired, and police are verifying the documents to confirm her nationality. Police suspect her husband, originally from Tamil Nadu, is behind the act. 

"The woman is not in a condition to give her statement. She is weak from lack of food and exposure to heavy rains. We do not know how long she was tied to the tree. We believe her husband tied her there and fled," an official said, as quoted by PTI. Police teams have been dispatched to Tamil Nadu, Goa, and other locations to trace her relatives and gather more details.