Maharashtra village tense after Dalit man dies by suicide; family says he was ‘stripped, thrashed for dancing in Tamasha programme’
The accused allegedly made casteist comments against the Dalit man for dancing in the Tamasha programme at Kopardi village and later assaulted him after forcing him to strip. Two accused have been arrested, the police said.
By: Express News Service
Pune | Updated: May 4, 2024 07:34 IST
Kopardi village in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district remained tense on Friday after a Dalit man died by suicide on Thursday afternoon, allegedly after he was stripped and assaulted by several upper caste men for dancing in a Tamasha (a popular folk art form) programme in the village.
With the deceased, Vitthal alias Nitin Kantilal Shinde (37), belonging to the Hindu Mahar Dalit community, and the alleged accused hailing from the upper caste Maratha community, a huge police force has been deployed in Kopardi to prevent any law and order situation.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Wakhare said that two accused have been arrested and a search is on for the third accused.
According to the first information report (FIR) lodged by Vitthal’s father Kantilal (60) at Karjat police station, Vitthal went to attend the tamasha programme in Kopardi village on the night of May 1. Around 11.30 pm, the three accused, Banti Babasaheb Sudrik, Swapnil Baban Sudrik and Vaibhav Madhukar Sudrik allegedly made casteist comments against Vitthal and assaulted him for dancing in the programme. Then, they allegedly took Vitthal to a cremation ground where they forced him to strip and assaulted him while he was naked, the FIR stated.
The FIR mentions that after reaching home, Vitthal narrated the incident to his family members. He told them that the accused had snatched his cell phone while assaulting him due to which he could not contact anyone for help. Vitthal also allegedly told his family that he was feeling insulted and wanted to end his life.
The next day, Vitthal died by suicide at his residence, allegedly leaving behind a four-line note in his pocket, blaming Banti and Swapnil for his death. The note, which is being widely shared on social media, names two of the accused but does not go into details of the alleged incident that led to the suicide.
The police booked Banti, Swapnil and Vaibhav under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. While Banti and Vaibhav have been arrested, a search is on for Swapnil, the police said.
Police said family members and supporters of Vitthal staged a protest on Friday, refusing to accept his body till all the accused were arrested.
Vitthal is survived by his parents, wife and two sons. His brother Shantilal is also a resident of Kopardi
A link to the 2016 Kopardi rape-murder case
In 2016, Kopardi village was the centre of an agitation after a 14-year-old girl from the Maratha community was raped and murdered by three people. In November 2017, an Ahmednagar court awarded the death sentence to the three accused in the case – Jitendra Babulal Shinde alias Pappu, Santosh Gorakh Bhaval and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume. In September 2022, Jitendra died by suicide in the Yerawada jail premises. Police sources said that Vitthal Shinde, who has now died by suicide in Kopardi, is Jitendra’s cousin. One of the accused is also related to the 14-year-old girl.
