Brutal attack on Dalit youth in Junagadh, third casteist atrocity in 21 days
Brutal attack on Dalit youth in Junagadh, video goes viral; Third casteist violence in 21 days raises questions again.
Ahmedabad: A Dalit youth was brutally beaten up, robbed and threatened with death in Junagadh, Gujarat. This incident has come to light as the third casteist atrocity against Dalits in the last 21 days. The viral video of the incident shows that even today, decades after Independence, casteism is deeply rooted in the society.
What is the whole matter?
The incident took place on the afternoon of August 16, when the victim had gone to meet a friend. Then a boy came to him and pleaded for help as his brother was being taken away. The victim and his friend followed the boy to the Swami Vivekanand School ground, where they understood that it was a trap.
In the ground, three upper caste youths surrounded the youth and questioned him about his whereabouts. When the youth told them that he was from Kadiyawad, a youth named Hitesh and his two unidentified companions started insulting him with casteist slurs and beat him badly with belts and sticks, causing serious injuries on the youth’s body.
The attackers also snatched the youth’s mobile phone and threatened to kill him if he complained to the police.
The victim told people at the Junagadh Civil Hospital, “They hit me with belts and sticks, snatched my phone and threatened to kill me. Today it is my turn, tomorrow it could be someone else’s. I only want justice.”
The police have registered a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code at the Junagadh A Division police station. Separate teams have been formed to nab the accused. Deputy SP Hitesh Dhandaliya assured that “strict legal action will be taken as soon as possible.”
This attack in Junagadh is not the only one. This is the third attack against Dalits in Gujarat in the last three weeks, which shows that casteism is still fuelling violence.
Each incident is a crack in the promise of equality in society and a grim indication of the urgent need for justice and protection for vulnerable communities.
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy : Hindi News
