It was an embarrassing moment in Haridwar on Sunday, a group of around 20 youth had dragged a couple and thrashed them into the streets and publicly humiliated them. The youth said that they will go all out to “keep the reputation of the holy town of Piran Kaliyar in Haridwar district intact and prevent any illicit relationship in the area.”

The shocking case of vigilantism had gone unreported as the couple was too scared to complain about the youth who did this. However, after a video of the incident went viral, the matter came to light, forcing the police to take action and book the 20 under various charges. When the woman protests that they all set upon her, pulling her by the hair and beating her up.

There are about 60 guest houses in Piran Kaliyar area. It is said that local resident allege are being used to promote “illicit relationships by offering rooms to unwed couples”. The video of the incident shows the mob pulling the couple out of a guest house and after abusing the two starts thrashing them.

Taking a serious note of the incident, Haridwar police has registered a case against the 20-odd men for disrupting the law and order situation. Police official SSP Haridwar, Sweety Agarwal said, “No one has the right to take law in their hands. As no one came to us with the complaint, we have registered an FIR against the unidentified persons on the basis of the video.”