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Indian police officers have publicly flogged a man accused of beating his partner to death, prompting mixed reactions after videos of the incident circulated widely online.
The suspect, identified by police as Faizal Lakhani, was arrested in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, and taken to the alleged crime scene on Friday for a reconstruction of the incident.
During the exercise, officers reportedly beat Lakhani with a bamboo baton.
Footage shows the suspect with his arms restrained by ropes as a uniformed officer repeatedly struck his legs and buttocks. He was also beaten on his feet inside a bus terminal.
Police officials defended the treatment, saying it was intended to send a strong message about violence against women.
“We beat him to set an example that crime against women will be taken seriously and nobody else dares to commit such a crime,” police officer D.P. Unadkat said, according to the Times of India.
“When we do this, they fear the police,” Unadkat added, according to the Indian Express.
The incident has drawn both support and condemnation on social media. Some users praised the officers for punishing the suspect, while others criticised the beating, pointing out that Lakhani had not been convicted of the alleged crime.
Indian Supreme Court rulings have prohibited police from using physical violence against suspects, although reports of police brutality continue to emerge across the country.
Bhavnagar police chief Nitesh Pandey declined to comment on the incident when contacted by AFP, saying, “I have nothing to comment.”
