New Delhi: A Dalit activist was allegedly thrashed and forced to drink urine by seven people after he sought information related to a village panchayat in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district. The incident happened on February 23.
The victim, Shashikant Jatav, has suffered serious injuries, PTI reported. He has been shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for further treatment, PTI quoted an official as saying.
Police said two of the seven acused have been arrested so far. The seven accused have been identified as Asha Kaurav, Sanjay Kaurav, Dhamu, Bhura, Gautam, Vivek Sharma and Sarnam Singh, police said.
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As per the PTI report, Jatav had sought information under the RTI Act about Barhi village panchayat under Panihar police station area.
The move ruffled feathers of the panchayat officials and angered them. Barhi sarpanch's husband, panchayat secretary and others called him to the village panchayat office on February 23, Additional Superintendent of Police Jayraj Kuber said quoting the complaint lodged by the victim.
The panchayat members first locked up Jatav in a room and then allegedly thrashed him severely. They also made casteist remarks against him.
According to the victim, the accused also allegedly forced him to drink urine from a shoe, the official said.
Jatav was initially admitted to the Jayarogya Hospital and Medical College here and later referred to the AIIMS in Delhi. An official will be sent to Delhi to record the victim's statement, PTI reported.
The police registered a case against seven persons under Indian Penal Code sections for attempt to murder and abduction, and provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of atrocities) Act, Kuber said.
More penal provisions could be added in the case after the victim's statement, he said.