A 24-year-old Indian woman was forcibly married and gang-raped on her wedding day as a brutal “honor” punishment after her brother eloped with a married woman, the Daily Mail reported Monday.
The unidentified woman was forced to wed the husband of her brother’s new wife as “revenge” for the couple’s adultery, and within hours of their wedding, she was attacked and raped by several of his brothers, The Mail said.
The assault was reportedly sanctioned by the “penchayat,” or village council, in Uttar Pradesh in northern India, which said, “An eye for eye is the actual justice,” The Mail reported.
“I agreed to [their] decision because I knew that there would be bloodbath in the village if I refused to marry him,” the woman told police. “My brothers-in-law raped me mercilessly the same day I married. It became a routine.”
“My father-in-law claimed that he had agreed to my marriage since he wanted to take revenge [on my family] this way,” she added.
The victim’s brother alleged that the decision that led to the attack was taken under the active supervision of the panchayat.
“Police gave time to the accused to flee the village,” he told The Mail. “The husband of the panchayat chief was also present when the fate of my sister was decided. He was very vocal and wanted the harshest punishment for us.”
The panchayat head confirmed its decision to The Mail.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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