A man was arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Deoria district for allegedly tying a Dalit girl to a tree and beating her after accusing her of stealing from his grocery shop, police said on Monday.
The incident reportedly took place in Mishrauli village under the Tarkulwa police station area and came to public attention after a video of the alleged assault went viral on social media.
According to police, the accused, identified as Harikesh Gupta, runs a grocery store in the village and allegedly caught the 14-year-old girl on suspicion of theft.
Family Alleges Girl Was Dragged Through Village
Family members and villagers alleged that the accused first dragged the girl by her hair through the village before tying her to a neem tree outside his house.
They further claimed that the girl was beaten while tied to the tree.
A bystander reportedly recorded a video of the incident, which later spread widely on social media, drawing outrage.
Police Rescue Girl After Emergency Call
Police said they received information about the incident through the emergency helpline 112 on May 31 and immediately reached the location.
Officials said the girl was rescued after police intervention.
Authorities confirmed that the victim belongs to a Scheduled Caste community.
Case Registered Under SC/ST Act
Police have registered a case against Harikesh Gupta under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The accused has since been arrested.
Speaking on the matter, Circle Officer Sunil Kumar Reddy said police acted after receiving information about the incident.
“We received information that a shopkeeper was forcibly questioning a girl on suspicion of theft. The accused has been taken into custody and further legal proceedings are underway,” the officer said.
