Tripura woman beaten up by husband, others; forced to marry 'lover'

A middle-aged woman suspected of having an extramarital relationship has been allegedly beaten up and forced to marry her ”lover” in Tripura’s Khowai district, police said on Monday.

The alleged incident took place at Madhya Krishnapur in Teliamura police station area on Saturday night, following which the woman has been hospitalised, an officer said.

”We will send a team to meet the victim to know the actual incident. The police has not received any written complaint yet, but there will be an inquiry into the alleged incident,” Teliamura Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sonacharan Jamatia told PTI.

The woman told reporters that on Saturday night, 15 people led by her husband took her to a paddy field on suspicion of her having an extra-marital affair and thrashed her mercilessly following which she lost consciousness.

Her alleged lover was also roughed up.

A purported video that went viral on social media showed the woman, after regaining consciousness, being forced by villagers to exchange garlands with her alleged lover amid ululation.

It also showed some youths compelling the man to apply vermillion on the woman’s forehead.

The woman’s husband confessed before the media that he and his family members beat her up for her alleged relationship with a man of the same village.

”After the incident, I took her to Teliamura hospital for treatment, and I spent the whole night there. The police visited my residence,” he said without sounding repentant.

Tripura Commission for Women (TCW) Chairperson Barnali Goswami condemned the alleged incident.

”In a civilised society, we can’t tolerate such gruesome torture on a woman. Forceful marriage between a married woman and a man is not a natural practice. We will send a team to meet the victim to know the actual sequence of events,” she said.