Una Again? Dalits Allegedly Thrashed by ‘Upper Castes’ in Gujarat

The incident took place almost a year after four Dalit men were allegedly beaten up by cow vigilantes at Una.

A Dalit man and his mother were thrashed allegedly by a group of 15 'upper caste' men for skinning a dead cow near a crematorium at a village in Anand district of Gujarat, instead of the place where cattle are disposed of, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place almost a year after four Dalit men were allegedly beaten up by the cow vigilantes at Una in the Gir-Somnath district, triggering an uproar across the country.

In his complaint lodged with the Sojitra police, the 22-year-old man alleged that around 15 Rajput men, all from Kasor, stormed into his residence on Saturday night and started verbally abusing him and his 45-year-old mother by referring to their caste.

When he protested, the mob allegedly thrashed the duo and threatened them with dire consequences, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Khambhat division, DD Damor said.

It all started on 11 August, when the victim brought a dead cow for skinning from a nearby village. Instead of the designated place, he started skinning it near the crematorium. When some locals raised the issue with the sarpanch, he asked the victim to take the cow to the allotted place. Though the victim agreed to follow the rules next time, one of the accused entered into a heated altercation with him over the issue. Later, on 12 August, around 15 men allegedly attacked the man and his mother outside their home.

DD Damor, DSP, Khambhat Division

The Sojitra police lodged the FIR under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

No arrest has been made so far, Damor said.

Both the victims have been provided round-the-clock security by the police, he added.