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3 min readBhopalMay 12, 2026 05:20 AM IST
The group allegedly entered the premises, confronted the couple and forced them out of the room before taking the man onto the street, where he was assaulted.
A man from the minority community was allegedly assaulted, stripped and smeared with cow dung and black ink by a group of people after he was purportedly found with a woman from another community in a hotel in Bhopal on Sunday evening, police said.
Videos of the incident, which took place in the Govindpura police station area, were widely circulated on social media. The videos showed a crowd surrounding the man as he was paraded outside the hotel.
According to police, a group of people arrived at the hotel after receiving information that the man and the woman were staying in a room there. The group allegedly entered the premises, confronted the couple and forced them out of the room before taking the man onto the street, where he was assaulted.
Videos and police accounts indicate that the 27-year-old man was punched and kicked, and partially stripped as members of the crowd smeared his face with black ink and cow dung.
During questioning at the police station, police personnel said the woman told them she had been in a live-in relationship with the man for nearly five years and had come to the hotel voluntarily. She denied allegations of coercion, misconduct or forced confinement and said that she did not want any legal action against him.
Police said the woman informed investigators that the man had recently been released from jail and that restrictions at the place where she currently lives prevented him from coming there.
Investigators also said the man has a criminal record and is facing at least five criminal cases across different police stations in Bhopal, including allegations related to fraud, criminal breach of trust and theft. Govindpura station in-charge Avdhesh Singh Tomar said, “He was recently released from jail, and we found he was involved in two cases of mobile phone theft. After this came to light, we arrested him.”
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No formal complaint was filed by either side by late Sunday night.
“No written complaint has been submitted by any side. Everyone was warned against engaging in activities that could disturb social harmony or law and order in the future. The couple was counselled to file a case, and they refused. If they return, we will file a case,” Tomar said.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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