10 held for assaulting two Dalit men in Pune

The Shirur police confirmed the arrest of ten people

The police arrested 10 people from Jambut village in Pune under the Atrocities Act for allegedly severely beating up two young Dalit men for walking with two upper caste girls.

The men were forcibly back to the village, where they were severely beaten up in public (HT File Photo)

The Shirur police confirmed the arrest of ten people, including a man named Subhash Jagtap, who allegedly led the mob.

The incident took place on Saturday. A villager noticed the two Dalit men walking with two girls outside the village. The men were forcibly taken back to the village, where they were severely beaten up in public, according to the complaint received by Shirur police.

The village is situated off the Pune -Ahmednagar Road, 60 km from Pune. While more details in the case are awaited, it is learnt that the boys were badly hurt.

The incident occurs just as the state stands polarised over the Atrocities Act with the Marathas, considered to be an upper caste community agitating for a review of the act. The community has stated that the act is prone to misuse by other communities. The community is also seeking reservation in education and government jobs. More than 20 rallies have been held by the community so far, which were triggered by the rape and murder of a minor Maratha girl by two Dalits in Kopardi in July.