Female physiotherapist allegedly molested, thrashed by mob in Ujjain

Ujjain: In another case of violence against medical professionals, the city police have arrested two persons for allegedly molesting and thrashing a 23-year-old female physiotherapist in the middle of the street while she was returning home in Ujjain. The video of the incident went viral on social media. 

Although two accused have been detained so far, the victim claimed that there were nearly four armed people, including three men and one woman with sharp weapons, swords, bats, and iron rods, who inhumanely assaulted, molested and tried to rape her in front of the neighbourhood. 

While driving down the street, the assaulters stopped her and pulled her dupatta, when she objected to their behaviour, her hands were held, her clothes were ripped and she was badly beaten. The doctor is currently under treatment at a hospital for her injuries sustained in the attack. 

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A large crowd of locals protested outside the police station raising slogans on Saturday and FIR was registered. The locals strongly condemned the attack and submitted a memorandum to the SP demanding strict action against the accused. The protestors also demanded that the house of the accused be demolished.

Following this, Police Superintendent Sachin Sharma convinced the crowd that appropriate action would be taken against the attackers, after which the protestors returned.  

The shocking incident took place on Friday when the doctor was returning home in her two-wheeler after she was stopped by the attackers, who took out the key from the vehicle and started misbehaving with her. 

She was subject to violence when she protested against their behaviour. The group assaulted, molested and threatened her by saying that she 'deserved this' and that they cannot fight them as the police are in their pockets. Meanwhile, the assaulters also beat her cousin who stopped by in a bid to help her.

While speaking with Maktoob, a police officer said, “It happened after a scuffle and we have lodged a complaint based on the victim’s ordeal and if any more names come up, a required action will be taken.”

“They had sharp objects and tried to ruin my face and they started molesting and groping me, at one moment I felt like they would rape me," the doctor added.

She further said that a woman from a nearby house bought a sword, handed it over to the men, and asked them to kill her and cut her into pieces. “I asked the woman if she would do the same with her own daughter and she replied (You are not my daughter), I left stunned by what I heard”, she added.

Later, the doctor and her cousin escaped the area and were rescued by their family members.

When the victim's family went to the Jiwajiganj Police Station to lodge a complaint, they were asked to approach the Kharakuwa Police Station as it was not the former’s area of jurisdiction. However, the police were not accepting the complaint.

After a commotion outside the police station, an FIR was registered against 3 people including a woman under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341(Wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 294(Obscene act in public), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 54 (Commutation of sentence of death) of Indian Penal Code.

Taking the matter to Twitter, Madhya Pradesh Congress on Saturday said, “Physiotherapist returning home in Ujjain was molested and beaten up by goons. Congress leader Noori Khan gheraoed the SP office for arresting the criminals and demanding justice. Shivraj ji, When will daughters be safe in MP?”

Further investigation into the case is underway.

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