Police lodged an FIR after four women and a youth hailing from Kashmir alleged that they were assaulted by a mob of around forty persons over a petty issue in New Delhi's Sunlight Colony.

An FIR was lodged on Friday after four women and a youth from Kashmir alleged that they were assaulted by a mob of around forty persons over a petty issue in New Delhi's Sunlight Colony.

The case was registered on the complaint filed by one of the female victims, whose identity was not disclosed by the police.

Earlier, a Kashmiri man living in the colony had filed a complaint accusing a group of residents of carrying out a planned attack on him and four women, including his sister, while they were walking in the street after dinner on Thursday night.

"A group of 40 residents of the area attacked the women. When the women asked the reason, the accused abused them and shouted slogans like 'Kashmiri terrorists should be sent back from India'," the complainant said.

"When I came to my sister's rescue, some persons carrying hockey sticks attacked me. I suffered a fractured hand," he said.

NDTV reported that a video clip on social media showed a wounded woman, with her back to the car, screaming as she is thrashed with hockey sticks. Men and women shout abuses instead of helping the woman. The authenticity of the video has not been verified yet.

According to the report, one of the Kashmiri women said, "My sisters were abused and beaten up. I have a broken left hand and one of my guests who had come to visit us was also attacked. It was a planned attack and the accused were carrying hockey sticks."

The woman alleged "constant harassment" and mentioned that the victims have requested police protection.

However, president of the Resident Welfare Association SN Pandey dismissed the allegations. According to a DNA report, Pandey alleged one of the men had molested some women and created chaos to cover up his misbehaviour. "Their injury marks are self-inflicted," Pandey was quoted as saying.

She further claimed that she along with the other residents were carrying sticks because of a dog menace, NDTV reported.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said: "We have registered a case on charges of sexual harassment, making sexually-coloured remarks, criminal intimidation and using words and acts intended to insult the modesty of women against the accused."

Earlier, the police officer had told IANS that a complaint was received from both parties, who had accused each other of assault.

He had said it was a case of old enmity. "Both parties have indulged in similar actions in the past, following which cross cases were registered against them."

With inputs from IANS