Police allegedly strip Dalit family naked in UP for filing complaint

Police in Greater Noida's Gautam Buddh Nagar allegedly stripped a Dalit family naked for attempting to file a complaint. Subsequently, a video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

According to The Hindu, Sunil Gautam and his wife were stripped naked publicly by the Dankaur police after they insisted on filing a police complaint. They were later arrested and locked up in jail.

Hindustan Times says that the family, comprising Gautam, his wife, brother and sisters- in-law, reached the Dankaur police station around afternoon, and tried to file a complaint against a person for passing casteist remarks against them. But police allege that Gautam was a 'habitual blackmailer' He "misuses the provisions of SC/ST Atrocities act to blackmail people and settle personal scores," a senior police officer told The Hindu.

The official added that the police had received several complaints against Sunil Gautam from the 'business community' in Dankaur. The UP government also came out in defence of the police, accusing the family of disrobing themselves. 

Noida police is in possession of the alleged video of the alleged stripping; it clearly seen the accused disrobes/others; contd

— Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 8, 2015

The witnesses present at the incident also corroborate the same; the video is circulated to undermine the efforts of the police- SP Noida

— Government of UP (@UPGovt) October 8, 2015

The video above seems to be inconclusive and incomplete. It is unclear whether the family was stripped or themselves disrobed. Nevertheless, the inordinate reaction of the police and public can be seen clearly. Indeed, one woman is being dragged along the crowd and also gets stripped in the melee. A child also seems to have been stripped of his clothes.