Dalits and Rajputs clash over watching kanwar yatra, 1 dead
LUCKNOW: One Dalit was killed and several others injured in a clash between Rajputs and Dalits over some Dalits watching a kanwaria procession in a Meerut village on Thursday, police said.
The Rajputs allegedly took offence to the Dalits watching a kanwaria procession.
Clashes between members of the two castes were also reported from another Meerut village on Thursday. Police said three Rajputs have been arrested for killing of the Dalit youth.
Senior officials are camping in the affected villages and heavy force has been deployed to prevent further clashes between members of the two castes.
“We are trying to identify others who were involved in the violence,” said Rajesh Kumar, SP (rural).
The first incident took place in Uldepur village, under Ganga Nagar police station, on Thursday morning when Dalits and Rajputs clashed after a group of
SP CHIEF AKHILESH YADAV, IN A TWEET, CALLED DEATH OF A YOUTH WATCHING KANWAR YATRA SAD AND SHAMEFUL AND DEMANDED THE GOVT PAY RS 25 LAKH EX GRATIA TO THE VICTIM’S FAMILY
Rajput youths allegedly beat up three Dalit youths who had gone to see a kanwaria procession on Wednesday night.
The issue was, however, settled with the intervention of village elders on Wednesday night.
However, upset over the incident, a group of Dalits allegedly rushed to Rajputs’ locality in the village and clashed with them for over half-an-hour.
At least six persons from both the sides got injured while a seriously injured Dalit youth Rohit, 19, succumbed to his injuries during treatment.In retaliation, angry Dalits blocked the road by placing the body of the deceased on the Ambedkar crossing. They also refused to perform the last rites of the deceased until the accused were arrested.
Sensing trouble, police swung into action and arrested three accused. Reports said Dalits and Thakurs of Uldepur and neighbouring Sikhera village are not on good terms since past many years. In fact, tension has been brewing between two castes ever since a statue of Ambedkar was installed at a government land in Sikhera during the BSP government.The statue was once vandalised leading to a clash between the two castes.
Since then security personnel have been guarding the statue.
In the other incident, a group of Rajput youths thrashed Dalits in Kasar village of Sardhana area on Thursday after a Dalit youth allegedly tried to molest a Rajput girl on Wednesday evening.
The angry Rajputs attacked Dalits and beat up whosoever came in front of them. Some Dalits alleged that when they approached the police to lodge their complaint they did not pay any heed. SP (rural) Rajesh Kumar is camping in the village along with police force of different police stations. He claimed the situation was under control.