9 arrested for beating 20-year-old Dalit man to death in MP’s Sagar: Police

Police said that Ahirwar and his sister were forced by Singh and eight of his family members to withdraw a sexual harassment case filed by the victim’s sister in 2019

The Madhya Pradesh Police on Saturday arrested nine people in connection with the death of a Dalit man in Barodia Naunagir village in Sagar district.

(Representative Photo)

20-year-old Nitin Ahirwar, a Dalit, was beaten to death on Thursday night by key accused identified as Vikram Singh, 28, and eight others after Ahirwar refused to withdraw a sexual harassment case lodged by his sister, police said.

Police said that Ahirwar and his sister were forced by Singh and eight of his family members to withdraw a sexual harassment case filed by the victim’s sister in 2019.

On Thursday evening, the accused attacked Ahirwar and his mother, said Khurai police station in-charge Nitin Pal, adding they thrashed the man brutally and stripped his mother.

Pal said that Ahirwar was admitted to Bundelkhand Medical College & Hospital, where he was declared brought dead, while his mother is undergoing treatment.

Following the incident, a police complaint was filed by the family members of the deceased against nine people.

A first information report was registered against nine accused under sections 302 (murder), 353 (sexual harassment) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian penal code, said police, adding all were arrested on Saturday.

Sagar additional superintendent of police (ASP) Lokesh Sinha, said, “Vikram Singh was booked for sexually harassing Nitin Ahirwar’s sister in 2019. He was pressuring Ahirwar’s family to withdraw the case. On Thursday, Singh fought with Ahirwar. He called his family members and thrashed Nitin Ahirwar.”

Meanwhile, Ahirwar’s family staged a protest and refused to cremate the body as they demanded strict action against the accused. The family has demanded to demolish the house accused, said the ASP.

Speaking to the family members of the victim, Sagar district collector Deepak Arya promised strict action against the accused.