‘Slapped, dragged by hair’: UP woman alleges assault over road rage; viral video shows attack as police watched | Lucknow News

LUCKNOW: A 24-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted and threatened by a group of men in a road rage incident in Gorakhpur while she was taking her ailing father to a hospital. A video of the assault, which has gone viral on social media, purportedly shows the woman being beaten and dragged by her hair in the presence of police personnel, triggering widespread outrage.The incident took place around 6.30 pm on Thursday in the Shahpur police station area. Police have registered an FIR, arrested one accused and launched a search for the remaining suspects.The victim, woman a resident of the Ramgarhtal area, told police that she was driving her father to the Railway Hospital when her vehicle was involved in a minor collision with a motorcycle.According to her complaint, the biker immediately began abusing her and repeatedly demanded that she apologise despite allegedly being at fault. When she refused, the argument escalated.She alleged that the motorcyclist then called his associates, who arrived in a black Scorpio SUV and allegedly launched a violent attack on her in the middle of the road. She claimed the men repeatedly slapped her, dragged her by the hair, attempted to tear her clothes, touched her inappropriately, abused her and vandalised her car by smashing its windows. Before fleeing, the accused allegedly threatened to rape and kill her.The woman further alleged that the assault continued for several minutes despite the presence of police personnel at the spot. She claimed she repeatedly cried for help, but the officers present failed to intervene. Eyewitnesses have also alleged that police remained passive during the assault. Police have not publicly responded to these allegations.The viral video appears to show the woman being assaulted by several men, with one attacker striking her from behind with a heavy object while others pull her hair and assault her. The footage also shows multiple police personnel standing nearby as the incident unfolds. The victim’s elderly and ailing father can be seen standing helplessly a short distance away.City SP Nimesh Patil said an FIR has been registered on the woman’s complaint and one accused, identified as Raj Nishad, a resident of Mohanapur in Padri Bazar, has been arrested. He said the investigation has been assigned to Sub-Inspector Durgesh Nandani.Patil said the case was initially registered under lesser charges based on the complaint. However, after the assault video surfaced, police invoked additional and more serious charges, including attempt to murder, outraging the modesty of a woman, causing damage to property, assault and other relevant offences.Police said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the remaining accused. Further investigation is in progress.