Video: Haryana Tourists Stripped, Assaulted In Public For Allegedly Harassing Minor Girl Near Rishikesh; Car Vandalised

Rishikesh: A disturbing case of alleged mob vigilantism has surfaced from Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh, where a group of tourists from Haryana were reportedly stripped naked, brutally assaulted and threatened by a mob after being accused of harassing a woman and a minor girl near the Kale-ki-Dhal area on Haridwar Road.

Viral Video Shows Disturbing Scenes Of Public Assault

Videos of the incident have gone viral, showing disturbing scenes where a man can be seen being assaulted in broad daylight. The man can be seen running around naked, trying to save himself from the assault. However, the mob can be seen continuing the assault. In other visuals, a car can be seen completely vandalised after the mob attack.

Police have registered an FIR against four named accused and several unidentified persons under serious charges, including attempt to murder, grievous assault and criminal intimidation.

What Exactly Happened?

According to a Jagran report citing the complaint filed by Satveer Singh, a resident of Kaithal in Haryana, he and two of his friends were travelling to Rishikesh by car on May 20 when the incident took place.

As per the complaint, the group was intercepted near Kale-ki-Dhal by a woman riding a scooter with a child. The woman allegedly stopped the vehicle and accused the youths of making gestures towards them. An argument soon followed, during which the tourists reportedly tried to explain that they were visitors heading to Rishikesh and had no intention of misconduct.

However, the situation escalated rapidly after locals gathered at the scene. The complainant alleged that members of the crowd began accusing them of molestation and started assaulting them without verifying the facts. The victims claimed that despite the woman later clarifying that it may have been a misunderstanding and attempting to stop the crowd, several men continued the attack.

According to the complaint, some of the youths were stripped naked and paraded publicly before being beaten mercilessly. The attackers allegedly vandalised the tourists’ car, stole two mobile phones and issued death threats during the assault. Police said the violence continued until some bystanders intervened and helped rescue the victims from the mob.

Case Filed Against 4 Known, Several Unknown Individuals

Rishikesh Kotwali Inspector Kailash Chandra Bhatt confirmed that a case has been registered against Ashok Thapa, Amit, Naresh, Ayush and several unidentified persons in connection with the incident. The FIR includes charges related to attempt to murder, causing grievous hurt, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation and vandalism. Police officials also stated that no formal complaint has been filed so far by the other side regarding the original allegations of molestation.