A family outing to the popular Bhavali Dam and waterfall in Maharashtra’s Nashik district turned into a nightmare after a woman was harassed and her family brutally attacked for confronting the accused.
The family said they were chased for nearly 15-20 kilometres by a group of men armed with iron rods and wooden sticks after objecting to the alleged sexual harassment of a woman. A disturbing video that has gone viral on social media shows two men on a motorcycle pursuing the family’s car, with one of them carrying iron rods.
🎥| A family in Nashik's Igatpuri was allegedly assaulted and chased for nearly 15 km after objecting to the harassment of a female member. Police have launched an investigation into the incident.#Nashik #Igatpuri #Maharashtra #TheStatesman
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) July 14, 2026
[Nashik family assault, Igatpuri… pic.twitter.com/jUkrPd6nEK
Police have detained nine accused in connection with the attack, while search operations are underway to apprehend three others who remain absconding.
Picnic turns into a nightmare
The family of eight, including four children, had travelled from Nashik for a Sunday outing to the Bhavali waterfall near Igatpuri. After spending time at the tourist spot, they were preparing to leave when two men allegedly began passing lewd remarks and harassing a woman from the family.
Refusing to ignore the misconduct, the woman confronted the accused, while her husband also questioned their behaviour.
Instead of backing off, the accused allegedly became aggressive. According to the survivor, several more men soon joined them, turning the confrontation into a mob attack.
Armed chase and assault
Realising the situation was spiralling, the family rushed to their car and attempted to leave. However, the accused allegedly blocked their vehicle, struck it with iron rods, and then pursued them on motorcycles for several kilometres.
The attackers repeatedly intercepted the family’s car wherever traffic slowed it down, smashing the windows and body of the vehicle with rods and sticks, the survivor alleged. Four children were inside the car throughout the chase.
“We never imagined they would chase us like this. They attacked our car from all sides with iron rods. We feared that if we stopped, they would kill us,” the survivor told the media, describing the incident.
#WATCH | Nashik, Maharashtra | A Nashik family was chased by a group of people for around 15 km after a woman resisted alleged sexual harassment
— ANI (@ANI) July 14, 2026
The victim woman says, "Our family of eight people had visited Bhavli Dam on 12th July. As I was there, two men aged 20-25 made… pic.twitter.com/UMUd3ONMBq
She added that the children remain traumatised by the attack.
Police action
Police have registered a case and detained nine accused so far. Search teams are looking for three more suspects who are believed to have participated in the assault.
According to the police, one of the accused has previously been booked in a murder case.
The survivor has demanded stringent punishment for those involved, saying that strong action is essential to send a message that women cannot be intimidated into remaining silent against harassment.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are working to identify and arrest every person involved in the attack.
