A tribal couple at a village in Islampur subdivision of North Dinajpur underwent tonsuring by a section of locals on Sunday following a decision made at a “salishi sabha” that accused the duo of having an illicit affair.

The duo were also tied to trees and beaten up.

Police got information and reached out to the duo. One of them has filed a complaint with the police based on which a person has been arrested.

Sources said that a woman of the village, some 10km away from Islampur town, who was married, had an affair with a local youth. Recently, both of them fled the village and went to Bihar. There, they got married.

Their families started searching for them and eventually located them. Both were forced to return to the village.

On Sunday, a kangaroo court was convened in the village. There, both were thrashed and their heads were tonsured as “punishment”.

During the incident, a villager shot a video that went viral on social media on Monday.

Md Nabish Alam, the local panchayat member of the Trinamool Congress, said that as he got information, he rushed to the spot.

“I saw both of them were tied to a tree and asked the villagers to free them. But a section of villagers didn’t listen to me and forcibly shaved their heads. It was completely inappropriate,” he said.

Jaskel Hansda, the block president of the Adivasi Jami Raksha Committee — an association of tribals — in Islampur, also condemned the incident.

“We condemn such act and want the administration and the police to take appropriate steps against those involved in it,” said Hansda.

Police officials in Islampur said they are probing the case. “Based on the complaint, we have arrested a person. Our officers are in search of some others. We have assured all help to the victims,” said Joby Thomas, the superintendent of police of the Islampur police district.

Kidnap and release

A businessman based in Calcutta who was abducted by a group on Sunday was rescued by the police from Malda on Monday.

Pradeep Kumar Yadav, the superintendent of police of Malda, said a joint raid was conducted by police teams from Calcutta and Malda.

Six persons involved in the abduction were arrested and two vehicles seized, he said.

Sources said Anirban Hazra, a 50-year-old businessman who deals in biscuits and resides in Kalitala Lane under Garfa police station in Calcutta, was abducted on Sunday for “ransom of ₹20 lakh”.

“He was seen boarding a vehicle near a hotel in the Ruby area of Calcutta. As he went missing, his wife filed a complaint with the police,” said a source.

Police scanned the CCTV footage of the area to get information about the vehicle used for the abduction. The trader’s cell phone helped them track his location.