Man stripped, beaten up on kangaroo court order for eloping

A 25-year-old man was allegedly stripped and beaten up on the order of a kangaroo court in Kendarapara district as punishment for eloping with a woman of a financially influential family, police said today.

A group of around 12 people, including the sarpanch of Talchua gram panchayat, ordered the "punishment" yesterday which was carried out by four-five villagers, they said.

The episode was video-graphed and uploaded on social media. It has gone viral.

After the two eloped around a week ago, the family members of the woman somehow found out her whereabouts and brought her home at Bhetka village, the police said.

They then complained with the panchayat, which arranged for a kangaroo court to punish the man, they said, adding he was injured undergoing treatment at a local community health centre.

The victim's elder brother lodged a complaint with the police and a case was registered against four persons, including the sarpanch.

One person was arrested on the charge of making the video, while others were absconding.

Police said the accused were booked under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (obscene act) and Information Technology Act.