In a shocking incident, four Dalit men were allegedly subjected to assault as they were hanged upside down from a tree and beaten with sticks by a group of six individuals in a village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, police informed on Sunday. The attack, stemming from suspicions of goat and pigeon theft, has ignited widespread condemnation. The disturbing incident came to light when a video of the assault surfaced on social media.
One accused has been arrested in connection with the act while the remaining five are currently evading capture, a spokesperson from the Ahmednagar police said, as reported by news agency PTI.
ABP could not independently check the veracity of the video which contains disturbing visuals. Viewer discretion is advised.
The Haregaon village in Shrirampur taluka staged a shutdown on Sunday in protest against the indignation.
The incident reportedly occurred on August 25, when a group of six from the village purportedly visited the homes of four Dalit men, all in their twenties. Forcibly taken, the victims were subsequently hung upside down from a tree and subjected to a brutal beating with sticks, all under the suspicion of stealing a goat and pigeons, according to an official cited by PTI.
The individuals responsible for the assault have been identified as Yuvraj Galande, Manoj Bodake, Pappu Parkhe, Deepak Gaikwad, Durgesh Vaidya, and Raju Borage, said the official.
One of the assailants allegedly recorded a video of the attack that was later disseminated on social media platforms.
Following the incident, the injured men were transported to a nearby hospital. One of the victims, Shubham Magade, subsequently lodged a formal complaint with the police.
In response, authorities have filed a case under several sections, including 307 (attempted murder) and 364 (kidnapping), of the Indian Penal Code. Additionally, the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act has been invoked, as per PTI's report.
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Ahmednagar Incident A 'Blot' On Humanity: Maharashtra Congress Chief Nana Patole
The opposition Congress party called the incident a "blot" on humanity and claimed that it was a dire consequence of the "hate" allegedly propagated by the BJP.
Expressing his concern, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole emphasised that the incident tarnished the essence of humanity. Patole urged for the immediate arrest of all perpetrators and the imposition of severe penalties.
"Such incidents are a result of hate being spread by BJP for its political gain," alleged Patole, voicing his criticism.
The Nationalist Congress Party's chief spokesman, Mahesh Tapase, further targetted the government for what he deemed as its inability to safeguard the dignity of Dalits.
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