A shocking incident from Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh took social media by storm after a village panchayat handed down a bizarre punishment to a 60-year-old man accused of attempting to rape a woman. A video of the accused being beaten with shoes in front of the panchayat went viral, triggering a public outcry and prompting police action.

The incident occurred in a village under the Charthaval police station area. According to the complaint, a 26-year-old woman alleged that on March 15, while she was outside the village making cow dung cakes, a 60-year-old man named Tirathpal, belonging to the Jat community, forcibly dragged her to a room near a tubewell and tried to rape her. The woman managed to escape using a sickle and rushed home to inform her family about the assault.
Following the victim’s complaint, her family approached the local police and demanded action. However, instead of swift police intervention, a panchayat was convened at the village head’s house to settle the matter. In a move that shocked many, the panchayat ordered that Tirathpal be beaten with five shoes as punishment. The victim’s family, however, claims that the punishment was diluted after the accused’s uncle intervened, resulting in only two strikes with a shoe.

A video capturing the incident was recorded by an unidentified person and later surfaced on social media, adding fuel to the controversy. The footage showed the accused being hit with shoes in the presence of the panchayat members. The viral clip sparked widespread outrage, with many criticising the handling of the case and the panchayat’s attempt to resolve a criminal matter with such a trivial punishment.

The victim’s family expressed their dissatisfaction with both the panchayat’s decision and the police response. The woman’s brother, Laxman, alleged that the panchayat was biased and that members of their community were even subjected to lathi-charge by supporters of the village head. He also accused the pradhan (village head) of being intoxicated during the proceedings.

“We want him to go to jail," said the victim’s brother, Laxman, adding that the accused was hit by his uncle with shoes and called it a punishment. “We cannot accept this. The girl herself should be allowed to punish him," he added. Laxman also claimed that after they filed a written complaint, the police delayed action, citing holidays and procedural issues. “We went to the police station the next day, but they said it was Sunday and told us to return the next day," he alleged.

Following the viral video, senior police officials took note of the matter and promised action. A case was registered against Tirathpal under serious charges related to the attempted rape, and an investigation is underway. However, the victim’s family remains sceptical, fearing that the case might be downplayed under social pressure.