Dehradun: Dalit youth on ventilator, BJP leader charged with attempted murder, angry Valmiki community blocks Delhi-Haldwani highway
After the deadly attack on a Dalit youth in Rudrapur, Valmiki community protested strongly, blocked the highway and demanded immediate arrest of the main accused BJP leader.
Published on: August 11, 2026, 3:52 pm
New Delhi: The Valmiki community has erupted in anger following the fatal attack on a 20-year-old Dalit youth and his friends in Rudrapur. Hundreds of members of the community blocked the Delhi-Haldwani highway on Monday. The protesters were demanding the immediate arrest of BJP Mandal General Secretary Paras Chugh, the accused in the case. The protest came hours after the arrest of Paras’ brother, Sunny Chugh, as the main accused, Paras, has not yet been taken into police custody.
The incident occurred on the night of Friday, August 7th. A four-wheeler collided with a scooter near the Kashipur flyover, sparking a dispute. The argument quickly escalated into a violent altercation. The victims allege that the Chugh brothers and their henchmen attacked them with sticks and iron rods, seriously injuring three people. The attackers are also accused of using casteist slurs during the altercation.
Abhishek Valmiki, the victim of this brutal attack, is in critical condition. He is battling for life on a ventilator in a private hospital in Bareilly, where doctors have given him little hope of survival. Police have registered a case against BJP leader Paras Chugh, his brother Sunny Chugh, and 10 unidentified individuals under Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other relevant sections.
Before blocking the highway, protesters gathered at the Rudrapur Municipal Corporation premises, where they announced a complete boycott of sanitation work and raised slogans against the accused. Pooja Devi, the mother of victim Abhishek, who works as a sanitation worker at the municipal corporation, raised serious questions about the administration’s working style. As a widow, she said she expected justice from the mayor, but due to Paras Chugh’s close ties to her, the police are avoiding arresting him.
Despite the FIR being filed, the Valmiki community’s anger was growing due to the failure to arrest the main accused. On Monday, police and administrative officials requested time until 2 pm to take action against the accused.
Subsequently, CO Akhilesh Kumar Singh reached the Municipal Corporation and spoke with the protesters, but the discussions yielded no results. After considerable effort and heavy police deployment, the highway traffic jam was cleared in about 15 minutes.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Uttam Singh Negi has officially confirmed the arrest of Sunny Chugh in the case. Earlier, Rudrapur’s in-charge CO Prashant Kumar also announced the registration of a case in connection with the incident. Meanwhile, Congress State Secretary Mohan Kheda visited the Municipal Corporation and met with the victim’s family, assuring them of his full support. However, police detained him during the protest.
Meanwhile, Rudrapur MLA Shiv Arora clarified that the state government will not tolerate any kind of anarchy and the law will take its course, no matter who the accused is.
