A trishul (trident) was carved into the forehead of a man in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur on the morning of Holi on Friday, 18 March, as per a complaint.
Aadesh, a resident of Kanshiram colony, said, "This happened on 18 March at 10.30 am. I had been asked to wash a few glasses. When I went to fetch water, the glasses, which had alcohol, accidentally fell on me. Three-four men then held me by my neck and beat me up. They said 'he is of Chamar caste, let us give him a mark that he can't forget.' They carved out a trident on my forehead using acid."
He added that he wanted justice but his complaints were not being heard.
Saharanpur SSP Akash Tomar has refuted Aadesh's account and has said that no acid was used, and that it was mere Holi colour that had led to the skin reaction.
"The victim Aadesh was drinking with two of his friends. They played Holi and the colour reacted. There was no trace of acid. We got a medical test done for all three, and no acid was detected. He had also borrowed a sum of Rs 10,000 from his friends and is now levelling false accusations against them so he doesn't have to return the money," SSP Tomar stated.
The police said that the matter was being probed further and that action will be taken accordingly.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)