Wedding procession pelted with stones in Amroha; 7 injured

In Amroha, seven were injured when a Dalit wedding procession was attacked. Police have registered an FIR against several accused, citing caste-based violence.

Seven people were injured after a wedding procession taken out by members of the Dalit community was pelted with stones, in Amroha’s Rahdra village in the wee hours of Tuesday.

(For representation)

Police later registered an FIR against eight identified and 15-20 unidentified men at Gajraula police station of the district. The eight identified accused hail from the village where the incident was reported.

It was the wedding of one Sonam Kumari, the elder daughter of one Ramgopal, and the wedding party had arrived from Shirkoi Bhur in Moradabad. The violence reportedly sparked by a dispute over a request to remove a vehicle. A video purportedly of the chaotic scene has surfaced on social media.

Circle officer Shwetabh Bhaskar confirmed that the police had registered a case under relevant sections, including the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and were investigating the matter.

Police had to resort to mild force to disperse the crowd and restore order. “Considering the tension in the village, a police force has been deployed to maintain law and order,” Bhaskar stated, adding that teams had been tasked to arrest the accused.

Also, teams from the Bhim Army and the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) reached the scene of the incident and stood in solidarity with the bride’s family.

The MP demanded the best possible treatment for the injured, prompt arrest of the culprits, provision of government protection and appropriate compensation to the bride’s family.