Muzaffarnagar: Dalit youth, hurt by casteist remarks and beating, sets himself on fire, condition critical
In Khatauli, Muzaffarnagar, a rowdy man beat up a Dalit youth after he refused to work; the man took the horrific step after being hurt by casteist abuses; the accused was arrested.
Published on: April 20, 2026, 5:00 pm
Lucknow: In a shocking incident, a Dalit youth set himself on fire after being allegedly beaten and subjected to casteist abuse by a local rowdy in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
According to police, the incident occurred on Saturday in Ganghadari village, Khatauli tehsil, in the district. It is reported that 25-year-old Dalit youth Himanshu refused to do any work for the accused. Angered by this, the 28-year-old accused, Tinku alias Gaurav, allegedly beat Himanshu severely.
According to a police complaint filed by the victim’s family, Tinku slapped Himanshu after he refused to work and made extremely derogatory and vulgar comments targeting his caste . This public humiliation left the young man mentally distressed.
Unable to endure the humiliation and torture, Himanshu set himself on fire with the intention of committing suicide. A senior police officer said the young man suffered burns over 30 percent of his body in the tragic incident.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sanjay Kumar provided details of the case to reporters on Sunday. He said police have registered a case against the accused, Tinku alias Gaurav, under sections 115 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
SSP Sanjay Kumar further confirmed that the police acted swiftly and arrested the accused. Meanwhile, the victim, Himanshu, who suffered over 30% burns, remains in critical condition. Given his serious condition, he has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi for further treatment.
