An Armyman had to face the wrath of the villagers here for his five-year old act. After eloping with a girl of same gotra of the same village nearly five years ago, the Armyman returned here three days ago, and faced the simmering anger of villagers.
He had to desert the village within a day to protect his life when infuriated villagers inked his face, garlanded with slippers before thrashing him black and blue for marrying same gotra girl five years ago. Both the boy and girl belong to Ahir caste.
The incident took place at Simha village in Mahendragarh district when on the directives of the village panchayat, Harpal, a serving Army-personnel posted at Assam, was first physically punished by the villagers and then paraded with blackened face in full public.
Injured Harpal was rescued and rushed to a hospital for medical treatment by the police which had reached the village on getting information about the incident. The armyman then had to leave the village to protect his life from the enraged villagers.
“Such sort of stern action was required against Harpal to prevent other youths from violating the century-old custom which does not allow weddings between boy-girl belonging to same gotra and same village. Hence, we have not committed any crime by giving him punishment,” said a villager.
The sources said Harpal had got married with his neighbourhood girl at a temple in Hyderabad after eloping from the village in 2008 despite objection of his family members. He had registered his marriage in Assam when he was transferred there. Fearing repercussions, the couple avoided visiting the village for five years. Harpal arrived in the village alone, hoping that the row over his marriage had settled down.
“Since Harpal don’t want any police action against the villagers hence no case has been booked in this regard. The police took a swift action and got him freed from villagers who were parading him with blackened face,” said Anirudh Kumar, SHO of Sadar Police Station.