Dalit groom beaten up for riding mare
JAIPUR: Upper caste men in a Rajasthan village allegedly beat up a 25-year-old Dalit groom with rods and beer bottles for riding a mare at his marriage procession, a custom the accused considered a privilege of the higher classes.
The incident took place at Jhalo ka Dhana village in Udaipur district where the groom, Kailash Meghwal was taking out his ‘baraat’ (marriage procession).
“Around five-six people attacked our procession. My son was forcibly taken down from the mare, beaten with beer bottles and dragged on the road for some distance,” Kukaram Meghwal, Kailash’s father told Hindustan Times.
Apart from beer bottles, the attackers were allegedly armed with rods and other sharp-edged weapons.
Some women, accompanying the attackers, also tried to beat the women in the procession and “abused us”, he said.
Meghwal claimed the attackers were from the Rajput community, and they attacked the Dalits because “in our village, people from scheduled castes don’t take out wedding processions riding a mare”.
Kailash sustained injuries on his body and head, and had to get several stitches.
Four people --- Rajendra Singh, Kalu Singh, Nepal Singh and Kishan Singh --- have been detained are being questioned, Ghasa station house officer, Ramesh Kavia said.
Police said prima facie it appeared that the accused were “infuriated” to see people from the scheduled caste riding a mare. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the IPC and the SC/ST Act. Protection has been given to the family after the incident.
This is not the first time when those from the upper caste have opposed Dalits riding mares during marriage processions. Similar cases have been reported from several places in the country, including in Haryana earlier this month.
On Sunday, a Dalit youth rode a mare in Bundi district of Rajasthan, but under heavy police protection as he had received threats from upper caste people. A similar incident was reported in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh last week.
POLICE SAY THE ACCUSED WERE ‘INFURIATED’ TO SEE A DALITMANRIDEAMARE