Women Strip, Beat Politician Accused of Rape in North East India

As India awaits sentencing of the men who gang-raped a young woman in Delhi, a politician was arrested on rape charges in the northeastern state of Assam, then stripped and beaten by a crowd.

Bikram Singh Brahma, a member of the Congress Party in Assam and president of a district Congress committee in the state, was arrested Thursday for the alleged rape of a woman in Chirang, according to police officials.

“A case has been registered against him under I.P.C. 376 by the lady's husband,” G.P. Singh, the zonal inspector general of police, said in a telephone interview, referring to the section of the Indian penal code that applies to rape.

Sanjit Krishna, the superintendent of police in the area, said in an interview that Mr. Brahma was also beaten and stripped by local women. Local television stations showed footage of several women ripping off Mr. Brahma's shirt and smacking him on the face and stomach before several men join in to hit him.

Mr. Brahma attacked the woman last night while he was staying at her family's house, Mr. Singh said on Thursday. “He was staying at their house, and under what circumstances will be the subject matter of the investigation,” he added.