Dalit man, beaten up in Punjab, dies

Jagmail Singh, a Dalit construction worker from Sangrur district of Punjab who was brutally beaten up and forced to drink urine when he asked for water, died at a hospital in Chandigarh on Saturday. His death has sparked outrage in Sangrur, where Dalit organisations have called for a protest.

SANGRUR: Jagmail Singh, a Dalit construction worker from Sangrur district of Punjab who was brutally beaten up and forced to drink urine when he asked for water, died at a hospital in Chandigarh early on Saturday.

Police said the incident happened on November 7, when Singh was tied to a pillar and beaten up with iron rods and lathis over a minor dispute at Changaliwala village near Lehra town, 55 km from Sangrur.

Lehra station house officer Satnam Singh said all the four accused have been arrested and booked under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code in the first information report. “The victim was undergoing treatment at PGI, Chandigarh, and both his legs had to be amputated to control the spread of infection due to the injuries.” Jagmail is survived by his wife, two daughters and a minor son.

His death has sparked outrage in Sangrur where Dalit organisations have called a protest, demanding compensation for the family. “We want strict action against the culprits and the government should compensate the family...,” said Bikkar Singh, district chief of Dalit outfit Zameen Prapti Sangharsh Committee.

The accused, Rinku, Amarjeet Singh, Lucky, alias Goli, and Beeta, alias Binder, all residents of Changaliwala village, belong to upper castes and were booked for abduction, wrongful confinement, attempt to commit culpable homicide and voluntarily causing hurt.