2 women bound to trees, whipped

Nashik, Dec 19 (UNI) Two women were bound to trees and whipped here last night by members of a family on suspicion that they had assisted a girl to elope.

According to police, Priyanka Vinayak Chavan (19), a resident of Sinnar Phata, was missing since November 5. The Chavan family suspected that Priyanka had eloped with one Gaurav Manohar Patil.

They, however, lodged a missing complaint with the police on November 6.

Meanwhile, the Chavan family kept searching for the girl.

Yesterday, they received information that Priyanka and Gaurav were staying with Gaurav's cousin, Sangeeta Bhagwan Sangare, at Siddharthanagar in Igatpuri taluka. The Chavan family left for Igatpuri and started inquiring about Priyanka.

Angry over not finding Priyanka with the Sangare family, the Chavans thrashed Sangeeta (32) and her sister Manisha Raju Bharit (26) and abused them. They, then, brought the two sisters near Sinnar Phatna area here, tied them to trees and lashed them.

The two sisters somehow managed to escape and reached Igatpuri.

The police have filed a case against the Chavan family, including three women and three children, under section 451, 323, 504, 506, 342, 509, 427 and 34 of IPC and Section 3(1)/10 of the Schedule Caste Act. Further investigations were on.

UNI