Dalit youth thrashed in Rajasthan for drinking water from pot, three held
JAIPUR: In a shocking case of caste-based discrimination, a Dalit youth was allegedly abused and beaten in Rajasthan's Nagaur district for drinking water from a pot kept outside a grocery shop.
The incident took place on Sunday evening in Kantia village under Khinvsar subdivision. The victim, Omprakash Meghwal, a resident of Aau village, had stopped near the shop with a friend while on his way to a relative's function. He used a metal tumbler (lota) to drink water from a pot placed outside the store.
Soon after, the shop owner Kaluram Jat and two others — Narsiram and another man also named Omprakash had asked him his name and caste. When they found out that he belonged to a Scheduled Caste, they allegedly shouted casteist abuses, beat him up, and threatened to kill him.
Omprakash said he tried to clean the pot with sand to calm them down, but the men continued to assault and humiliate him. Scared, he ran and took shelter at a relative's house.
Later that night, around 11:30 p.m., the accused allegedly returned in a camper vehicle, circled the locality several times, and dragged the vehicle's tyres in an apparent attempt to intimidate the residents. The act reportedly caused panic among the largely poor Dalit families in the area.
Omprakash filed a police complaint the next day. A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Rampratap Vishnoi visited the village, but the accused had already fled. After searches, police detained all three. Nagaur SP Narayan Togas said they have been booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other charges. A detailed probe is on.
The victim's family claimed that police initially tried to ignore the case. Police officials remained tight-lipped even as the incident began gaining traction on social media. Even on Tuesday, local police avoided giving clear answers when asked by reporters. Action was taken only after mounting public pressure and the video went viral.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage. Azad Samaj Party chief and Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad strongly condemned the attack, calling it a grim reminder of entrenched caste discrimination in India. 'In Kantia village, Dalit youths were abused, humiliated, and forced to clean utensils just for drinking water. This isn't a mere dispute—it's a reflection of systemic, centuries-old hatred,' he said. 'Does a Dalit still not have the right to drink water?'
This incident is similar to a 2022 case in Jalore, where a Dalit student was beaten to death by a schoolteacher for drinking water from a pot meant for upper castes.
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