Gujarat BJP MLA allegedly thrashed the woman leader in Ahmedabad on Sunday | Photo Credit: Times Now

Ahmedabad: BJP MLA Balram Thawani allegedly brutally thrashed a woman near his office in Naroda in Gujarat on Sunday, June 3, after she protested demanding restoration of water connection in the area. The shocking incident was caught on camera and the video quickly went viral on social media yesterday.

After facing massive backlash as the video went viral, the Naroda MLA made a reluctant apology on Monday but not before making an attempt to defend his condemnable actions. In his outrageous defense, MLA Bhawani had claimed that he had hit the woman "in the heat of the moment", that he was "not aware" that the victim was " a woman" and that he had lost his cool as "he had been attacked first."

As per reports, the victim who was allegedly assaulted by the BJP MLA was a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supporter. Reportedly, she, along with a group of few other women, were in the area to stage protest against the lack of water this season.

However, the situation turned ugly when the BJP MLA joined another man in assaulting and kicking the woman on the street.

In the video, Thawani can be seen stepping out of his office and then proceeding to kick and thrash the woman who is already under attack by another man whose back is turned towards the camera.

Earlier in the day, MLA Thawani told Times Now that he would not apologise over the incident as the woman "was at fault" and alleged that her husband had hit him first inside his office.

The MLA on Sunday evening reached the Meghaninagar police station where he said that the Sindhi community was attempting to broker peace between the two sides. He also alleged that he had been hit by a person in his office, following which he decided to reciprocate.

Thawani claimed in the melee, he may have "accidentally" hit the woman. Meanwhile, PI PG Sarvaiya, 'G' Division ACP MP Desai and Zone IV SCP Neerajkumar Badgujur were all present at the police station when the MLA came there late at night to sort the matter out.

