Dalit man’s body found in Alwar, second in 4 days

Tension prevailed in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi village on Monday after half-burnt body of a young Dalit man was found behind a police station. Police took the body to mortuary of nearest government hospital.

Soon after, villagers gathered outside the hospital to protest the second Dalit death in the area in less than four days. On Friday, following arguments over Holi revelry, a 16-year-old Dalit youth of the same village was killed allegedly by some Gujjar men.

Police said the body found on Monday has been identified as that of Ajay Jatav but said the two cases were not related to each other, denying unconfirmed reports that Ajay was an eyewitness to the Friday’s killing.

Alwar superintendent of police Rahul Prakash said police got information about a half-burnt body behind Phoolan police station of Bhiwadi around 4 pm on Monday. “The man has been identified as Ajay Jatav (18) but this case is not related to the Friday’s killing,” the officer said.

Ambedkar Nishan Santhanam secretary Om Prakash Jatav said Ajay Jatav was Neeraj’s friend and lived in the same village. “He was set afire and then his body dumped,” he alleged. Dharamveer Jatav, a member of the Bhiwadi municipal council, said Ajay’s body was found a little far from the spot where Neeraj was killed on Friday.

BJP SC (scheduled caste) Morcha district president Mohar Singh Meghwal said the case is linked to Friday’s killing. “The man has been killed to pressure family of Neeraj Jatav into taking their case back. I am sure Gujjars have burnt this man alive,” he said.

Villagers and Dalit leaders have laid a siege to the community health centre (CHC) where the half-burnt body has been kept. The family has refused to take the body and give permission for the post-mortem until filing this report.

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