Guj mob attacks Dalit woman for sitting on chair

AHMEDABAD: A Dalit woman was allegedly attacked by a mob for sitting on a chair at a school in a village in Ahmedabad district, police said on Friday. The incident took place at Valthera village two days ago.

Pallaviben Jadav (45), who works at an anganwadi (government-run nursery school), had been entrusted the task of distributing Aadhaar cards, police said.

According to the FIR registered at Kath police station, Jayraj Vegad, a local resident, was infuriated to see that Pallaviben was sitting on a chair while doing her work.

As per the complaint lodged by Pallaviben’s husband Ganpat Jadav, Vegad asked her how she dared to sit on a chair being a Dalit, and kicked the chair, causing her to fall.

Later, Vegad and some 25 others went to the woman’s house in the evening and allegedly attacked her, her husband and some other family members with sticks and sharp weapons.

Koth police registered a case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Cide related to attempt to murder and dacoity, and also under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The accused belong to the Karadia Rajput community which falls in the OBC category, police officials said.

“It was also alleged that the accused snatched away Pallaviben’s mangalsutra. The accused also allegedly tried to set one of Jadav’s relatives on fire,” said PD Manvar, deputy superintendent of police, Scheduled Cast/scheduled Tribe Cell, Ahmedabad.