Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A dalit youth along with his friend was tonsured, forced to lick sputum of each other and garlanded with shoes and slippers by a group of people belong to upper caste in Jabalpur district.
The only ‘mistake’ he made was that he gifted a mobile phone to his girlfriend who belongs to the upper caste.
The incident took place at village Daman Khamariya under Chargaon police station of the district on May 22. The videos of the whole incident went viral on Sunday evening. The police traced the victims and a case was later registered. The victim told police that the accused had threatened him and his friend with dire consequences, therefore he didn’t approach police to lodge a complaint.
The victim, identified as Rajkumar Mehra, 20, told police that he was in love with a girl, 19, who belongs to the upper caste. The girl had asked him to provide a mobile phone so that the duo can have proper communication, as she was not allowed to go out in the village by family.
Rajkumar borrowed a mobile phone from his friend Mahendra 21 and gifted her.
On May 22, the girl's father saw her talking over the phone. When he inquired, the girl told him that mobile phone was gifted by her friend.
This infuriated the girl’s father and her family member so much that they brought both dalit youths to their house, tonsured them and beat them brutally. They later garlanded youths with shoes and slippers and made them roam around the village.
The accused also threatened victims and their family members with dire consequences if they approached the police.
In charge of Chargaon police station Ritesh Pandey said that a case has been registered and four accused including the girl's father have been detained.
