A 40-year-old tribal woman was stripped, assaulted, paraded barefoot, and had her head tonsured by her husband and relatives in Anjana village, Banswara district, Rajasthan, on 1 September 2026. The incident was recorded on video, which later went viral. Seven individuals, including the woman’s husband and six relatives, have been arrested. Police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
According to Maktoob Media, the woman was accused by her husband of having an extramarital relationship after she returned from working as a labourer in a neighbouring state. The video shows several women beating her, tearing her clothes, and bystanders, including children, witnessing the assault.
Police statements confirmed that the woman was made to walk barefoot before being assaulted and tonsured. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Babu Lal Regar, stated that the video is being examined to identify additional participants in the assault.
Legal action was initiated immediately, with an FIR registered on the day of the incident under sections related to assault, intent to outrage modesty, disrobing, unlawful assembly, and causing hurt, as well as provisions of the Information Technology Act as coverage revealed. The woman underwent a medical examination, and the arrested accused were remanded to police custody.
“Seven people, including the woman’s husband and six relatives, have been arrested. Police are examining the video to identify others who may have participated in the assault.”
Political leaders responded to the incident, with Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra condemning the assault and alleging that police delayed action for three days, citing the need for “solid proof” according to statements. Dotasra called the incident a “shame” for Rajasthan and demanded strict action and justice for the survivor.
Rajasthan Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee president Sarika Singh Choudhury also criticised the state government, questioning the delay in police action and highlighting concerns about women’s safety as reporting indicated. She raised concerns about the victim’s need to seek justice from the police for three days while the Station House Officer allegedly delayed action.
National secretary of the All India Congress Committee and Uttar Pradesh Congress co-in-charge Dheeraj Gurjar stated that the incident raised serious concerns about women’s safety in Rajasthan. He emphasised the police’s responsibility to act promptly on complaints and called for an investigation into the alleged delay and the SHO’s reference to the need for “concrete evidence” at the end of his remarks.
“Acting promptly on the victim’s complaint was the police’s primary responsibility,” Gurjar said, calling for an investigation into the reported three-day delay.
Broader concerns about discrimination and violence against Adivasis and other marginalised groups in India have been raised in recent international reviews. Recent findings by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination highlighted reports of violence, including sexual violence, against Dalits, Adivasis, and other minorities by law enforcement officials in India.
Calls for effective remedies and redress mechanisms for victims of discrimination, as well as the need to address barriers to justice, were emphasised in the UN committee’s recommendations as analysis showed. The committee urged India to ensure the availability and accessibility of reporting channels for victims and to address all barriers to justice faced by survivors of such crimes.
“The Committee said it was ‘gravely concerned’ at reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence by law enforcement.”
While the Banswara incident is being investigated at the state level, it has drawn attention to ongoing challenges regarding the protection of women and marginalised communities in India as details emerged.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.