Maharashtra Woman Publicly Stripped, Beaten and Garlanded with Slippers After Being Denied Entry into Local Temple

Key Points

A woman was stripped, assaulted and paraded on the streets with a garland of slippers around her neck in Maharashtra during a religious programme and community feast organised at a local temple on 15 May 2026. The incident, which took place in Ulhasnagar’s Vitthal Wadi and Waghri Nagar, was the culmination of a dispute linked to temple entry restrictions imposed by a caste panchayat on the victim’s family.

According to police officials, tensions escalated after a youth from the victim’s family objected to a caste panchayat’s decision barring his family from entering the temple. The youth reportedly argued that the family had done nothing wrong and should not be prevented from visiting the temple before entering the premises. This reportedly angered some members present at the gathering.

A group later attacked the victim’s family home with sticks and rods. Family members alleged that the men in the house were assaulted and that the attackers threatened the women with severe consequences if they approached the police. The complainant, Kanta Prem Rajput, along with her sister Geeta and daughter Anjali, was reportedly on the way to the police station when they were intercepted on the road.

The accused allegedly dragged the women onto the street, tore their clothes, beat them with sticks, partially stripped them and cut their hair with scissors. The attackers forced slipper garlands around their necks and paraded them through the area for nearly two kilometres. Several bystanders were also forced to touch the victim’s feet during the procession. Videos of the incident later surfaced on social media and were widely circulated.

Police said both the accused and the victim’s family belong to the Vaghri community and are related to each other. Officials said disputes between the families had existed earlier and that cases had previously been registered between them.

See Also: Sabarimala Reference Case: Supreme Court Asks— Who Really Has the Rights to Enter a Temple?

The accused had alleged earlier that the woman insulted their deities, the police elaborated, following which they directed her not to enter the temple. Senior Inspector Shankar Avtade said police were verifying those allegations.

The victim’s family claimed they had also faced social boycott earlier after allegations were levelled against them within the community.

Following the incident, the victims approached police and alleged that officers initially did not treat the matter seriously and registered the FIR only after several hours. The family also alleged that police initially invoked sections that did not adequately reflect the gravity of the assault and humiliation faced by the women.

The FIR includes charges related to voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and intentional insult intended to provoke breach of peace.

The Ulhasnagar Central Police registered a case under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Jyuli Waghri, Vinu Waghri, Pappi Waghri, Nitin Thorat, Rohit Waghri, Sonu alias Balu Waghri, Mahesh Waghri and others. Police initially arrested two accused, while later reports said a third accused had also been taken into custody. Several other accused named in the FIR remain absconding.

Officials said CCTV footage from the area would be examined and statements of witnesses recorded as part of the ongoing investigation. The injured women are undergoing treatment at Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar.

[DS]

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