A group of trekkers camping at a fort in Lonavala near here were allegedly roughed up by about 10 men and women, who claimed to be ‘heritage buffs’, on New Year’s eve, the police said on Wednesday.
The trekkers, who had come to celebrate the New Year at Visapur Fort in Lonavala, about 50 km from here, had registered for the camp through a website.
According to a police complaint registered by a woman from Pune, 10 to 12 men and women allegedly roughed them up with sticks and belts, accusing them of littering the place. The accused forced the men to strip and abused the women, she said.
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She said the accused also roughed up the event organiser and warned all of them not to come back to the fort.
The complainant said with the help of some villagers, they managed to leave the place and later reported the matter to police.
“We have registered a case of rioting against 10 to 12 people of a ‘fort lovers’ group,” Assistant Police Inspector at the Lonavala Rural Police Station Sandip Yede-Patil said.
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Six of the accused had been identified, he said. He said the accused claimed that the trekkers had been consuming liquor, which was being verified.