Teen alleged rape victim beaten, paraded through Indian village

Teenage girl tied to alleged rapist as she is paraded through an Indian village by her family to shame her. Photo / Facebook, PunjabKesari

Warning: Distressing content

Harrowing video footage has emerged of a teenage girl tied to her alleged rapist while being paraded through a local village in India.

The 16-year-old girl could be seen with a rope tied around her waist as crowds chanted slogans and beat the girl in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh on Monday.

Dozens of men could be heard yelling "Bharat Mata Ki Jai", which means "Long Live Mother India" as she was dragged along the dirt road.

The young girl's family were also among those who forced her to walk with her alleged attacker — who is married with two children — to shame her, according to local media.

Footage shows the man having his head stomped on by another. Photo / Facebook, PunjabKesari

The shocking footage shows the girl sitting on the ground, with her hands in her head, while her alleged attacker sits next to her.

The pair, who were both tied by the same rope, were surrounded by a crowd at one stage, with one man seen stomping on the alleged attacker's head.

Police have since arrested six people, including the alleged rapist, after the video went viral and caused outrage online.

They were also able to free the girl when they arrived at the scene.

Police officer Dilip Singh Bilwal told PTI local news agency two cases had been registered against the alleged rapist as well as family members and villagers.

"One of the cases was registered against the 21-year-old man who is accused of rape," Bilwal told the publication.

"Another First Incidence Report was registered against family members of the girl and villagers for parading her in the village and beating her."

A rape is committed in India every 15 minutes, with the nation's abysmal record on sexual violence becoming a serious political issue following the 2012 gang rape and killing of a student on a New Delhi bus.

Mass protests after her death prompted the creation of fast-track courts to clear out the backlogged legal system.

The men responsible for the 2012 bus attack were hanged in March 2020, following their failed appeal in 2013.

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