Horse injured in attack on Gujarat Dalit groom dies

The attackers were allegedly mostly from the dominant Patidar farming community, who were angry as Jayesh Rathod became the first Dalit to ride a horse for his marriage procession in Khambhisar village.

A horse died on Saturday last, 15 days after it was seriously injured when upper caste attackers allegedly stoned a Dalit man’s marriage procession for riding it at Khambhisar in Gujarat’s Modasa May 12, a local court was informed on Monday.

Traditional caste norms barred Dalits from riding a horse and the attack in Gujarat is among a series of such assaults triggered by attempts to defy this tradition despite strict laws to prevent such discrimination (Vijayanand Gupta/HT Photo)

The attackers were allegedly mostly from the dominant Patidar farming community, who were angry as Jayesh Rathod became the first Dalit to ride a horse for his marriage procession in Khambhisar village.

Traditional caste norms barred Dalits from riding a horse and the attack in Gujarat is among a series of such assaults triggered by attempts to defy this tradition despite strict laws to prevent such discrimination.

Jayesh Rathod’s lawyer, Kevalsinh Rathod, said the white horse repeatedly lifted its legs to protect itself when stones were thrown at the procession.