3 Dalit kids forced to walk with hands tied, 4 booked

POSTED ON MARCH 16, 2021

Patiala: The sarpanch of a village in Sangrur is among four persons who have been booked for allegedly parading three Dalit children, with their hands tied to their backs, for around 4km after they were accused of stealing Rs 250 from a dargah (tomb).

The case was registered on Monday, a day after a video of the incident went viral and the Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (PSCPCR) is taken have taken suo motu cognizance of the clip. The incident is said to have taken place a week ago.

Sadar Sangrur police station SHO Deepinderpal Singh said the case has been registered against sarpanch Gurnam Singh, Bhasaur residents Mohinder Singh Fauji, Sunil Bansal and Harjinder Raju, but no arrest has been made so far. “The accused have been booked under sections 323, 341, 342, 499, 500 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, sections 3 (2, 5) of SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act,” he said.

According to the complaint, residents of neighbouring Banbaui village informed the panchayat of Bhasaur about the boys, all aged 13, committing theft in the tomb. The complainant, who is the father of one of the boys, alleged that all three were beaten up and their hands tied. He alleged that the children were then forced to walk to Bhasaur with their hands tied to a two-wheeler.

Courtesy : TNN