A dalit woman sarpanch was recently stripped and paraded in Pamulaparthi village in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh.

Police have registered a case under sections 448, 324, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code against six women and two men in connection with the incident.

According to the police, the incident occurred last Sunday but was reported later.

The victim was taken to a government hospital at Siddipet town for treatment.

Pamulaparthi gram sarpanch [village headwoman] Manjula had incurred the wrath of some upper-caste persons in the village for taking up certain developmental activities.

Six upper-caste women -- Chakali Narsamma, Shivamma, Jyothi Swaroopa, Jyothi Pushpavva, Mangali Ramulamma and Swaroopa -- raided the sarpanch's house. They stripped her and took her to the village centre, all the while beating her.

A mandal parishad territorial constituency member, Ganesh, who tried to rescue the sarpanch, was also beaten up.

Manjula tried to register a complaint at the Gowraram police station, but she was ignored.

The police registered a case at Siddipet only after Medak District Superintendent of Police Shikha Goel intervened.

Manjula said two men -- J Narendra Reddy and Malla Reddy -- had incited the women to attack her.