Dalit groom beaten up for riding mare

Deepender Deswal

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, April 5

A Dalit groom was thrashed by a group of upper caste youths while he was riding a mare to the bride’s house at Sanjarwas village of Charkhi Dadri district last night.

The groom, Sanjay Kumar of Dhani Rivasa village, and some other members of the marriage party suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital. The wedding was later performed under police security.

Vikas Kumar, the village sarpanch’s husband, said the marriage party was on way to the bride’s house when some villagers stopped them, allegedly objecting to the groom riding a mare.

“As the groom mounted the mare, the group of youths belonging to the upper caste community pulled him down, saying Dalits were not allowed this. This led to a scuffle between the two groups,” he said.

“Local villagers thrashed the groom and other members of the marriage party. The police were called immediately. The situation is under control now and the police are deployed in the village,” he said.

The groom and other persons who received injuries were taken to the primary health centre at Baund village, he added.

He further said the wedding resumed and was completed today under police protection. The father of the bride, Rohtash Singh, lodged a complaint against 20 persons with the police.

A police official at the Baund police station said a case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC and Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The accused were absconding and police teams were dispatched to search their suspected hideouts and arrest them.