E-Paper
‘Attacked, held hostage’: Mob assaults Dalit man on knowing his caste after minor bike accident in UP
The alleged suspect demanded that the victim pay him ₹20,000 as compensation for his damaged bike.
A 20-year-old Dalit man was allegedly attacked, abused and held hostage after his bike collided with another motorcycle in Uttar Pradesh's Badohi district, police said on Sunday.
The man, identified Sangam Lal Gautam, was going back to his home in Prayagraj's Handia on March 10 when the accident took place.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhimanyu Manglik said that the other biker, Rishabh Pandey, was travelling in the wrong direct near the Berwa Paharpur area and ended up colliding with Gautam's bike, causing him critical injuries.
And as soon as Rishabh came to know about Gautam's caste, him along with his father and 10 other unidentified men "started abusing the injuring Sangam Lal Gautam, hurling casteist slurs. They accused him of riding a bike in an intoxicated state and beat him", Manglik was cited as saying by news agency PTI.
Further, the victim was allegedly held hostage by Rishabh who demanded ₹20,000 as compensation for the damages his bike suffered. Many hours later, Gautam managed to reach his father Narayan Das Gautam, who then contacted emergency services, police said.
Sangam Lal Gautam was rescued by the police and admitted to a community health centre. On the basis of his complaint on March 22, a case was registered at the Koirauna police station against Rishabh Pandey, Pawan Pandey, and 10 other unidentified persons under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit (BNS) and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
SP Manglik said that an investigation into the matter has been launched.
Previous incidents
Just last month, a Dalit man's wedding procession was allegedly attacked by upper caste men for passing through their area and playing music in UP's Bulandshahr, police had said.
At least five persons were arrested after a FIR was registered in the matter, they added.
The groom's marriage procession was stormed by at least 30 to 40 upper caste men. "They objected to the baraat passing through their area with DJ music. Hurling casteist slurs, they attacked wedding guests with sticks, iron rods, and sharp weapons and pulled the groom off the horse. Six guests, including women, sustained injuries in the attack, with injuries to the head and face. The baraat was forcefully turned back and threatened not to pass through again," a resident of the Dhamravali village said.
In late January, a Dalit man was allegedly killed by his in-laws in a suspected case of hate crime for marrying a woman against her family's wish in Telangana's Suryapet district. The man's body was found in a canal at Pillalamarri village.
