Dalit man given 100 lashes in Madhya Pradesh for asking hike in salary

The victim Ajay Ahirwar worked at a petrol pump in Babai area and he had requested a hike in his wages from ₹3000 to ₹5000.

Updated on: Jul 7, 2018, 07:32:10 IST

Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By Shruti Tomar

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A 24-year old Dalit youth was tied to a petrol pump machine and given around 100 lashes with a belt for seeking a salary hike from the pump manager.

The incident took place in Hoshangabad, around 80 km from Bhopal on June 23. (Representative image)

The incident took place in Hoshangabad, around 80 km from Bhopal on June 23, but was reported on July 2 after a video of the beating went viral.

Police have arrested Deepak Sahu and Aakash Sahu, who work as manager and assistant manager at the petrol pump.

Hoshangabad superintendent of police Arvind Saxena said, the victim Ajay Ahirwar, worked at a petrol pump in Babai area.

“He requested a hike in his wages from ₹3000 to ₹5000 but Deepak Sahu scolded him and refused to do so. When Ajay didn’t come to the petrol pump on June 22 for duty, Sahu sent someone to get him the following day. When Ajay came, they tied him to the petrol pump and Deepak Sahu along with Aakash Sahu whipped him at least 100 times,” said Saxena.

Initially, Ajay did not lodge a police complaint out of fear but when the video of his beating went viral, some local Dalit organisation asked Ajay to lodge a complaint.

Deepak and Aakash were arrested on July 4 and sent to jail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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