In MP’s Rajgarh, 33 booked for attacking Dalit groom’s house and pelting stones

This is the fourth such incident in a month when a wedding procession of a Dalit groom was carried out under police protection.

Eleven people were arrested and another 22 men of the Gurjar community were booked for allegedly attacking the house of a Dalit groom, throwing food and pelting stones on attendees for playing loud music at a wedding in a village in Rajgarh district, police said.

Eleven people were arrested and another 22 men of the Gurjar community were booked for allegedly attacking the house of a Dalit groom in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district. (HT FILE PHOTO. )

The police arrested 11 people under Section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 294 (using obscene language), 147 (punishment for rioting) and under the relevant sections of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and also cancelled the arms licence of three people, said Pradeep Sharma, Superintendent of Police, Rajgarh.

“On Saturday late night, Rajesh Ahirwar’s relatives were playing loud music. Accused Ramesh Chand Gurjar along with others objected to it and created a ruckus. Later, they pelted stones at the house of the groom and also vandalised food and damaged the tent,” the SP said.

Later, the police arrived and arrested 11 people. Ramesh Chand Gurjar is absconding, the police said.

A resident of village Kachnariya, Rajesh Ahirwar had sought police protection for his marriage on Sunday due to tension between the Gurjar and Ahirwar community after a woman from the Gurjar community eloped with an Ahirwar community man six months ago, a villager said.

District administration officials held a meeting with the community members and they agreed to maintain peace, said the villager.

On Sunday, Ahirwar’s wedding procession was carried out in police presence. A police team has been deployed in the village and the matter is under control, said Harsh Dixit, district collector.

This is the fourth such incident in a month when a wedding procession of a Dalit groom was carried out under police protection.