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The Wire
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Odisha: Dalit Men Tortured Over False Accusation of Cow Smuggling; 9 Accused Arrested
New Delhi: Two Dalit men were brutally tortured in Odisha's Ganjam district over false accusations of cow smuggling. The victims were beaten up, half tonsured, allegedly forced to eat grass and drink drain water, The New Indian Express reported. The incident happened in broad daylight on Sunday (June 22) at Kharigumma village under Dharakote block. Eight men have been arrested, while a minor has been detained, in connection to the atrocity, according to Dharakote police. According to the report, the victims, Bulu Nayak (52) and Babul Nayak (43) of Singipur, had purchased a cow and two calves from Haripur for dowry for a family marriage ceremony and were carrying the cattle to their village on a tempo rickshaw when a group of locals intercepted them at Kharigumma. The group accused them of transporting cows illegally, snatched their mobile phones and cash. They reportedly demanded Rs 30,000 to release the animals. As the duo refused, the miscreants tied their limbs and brutally assaulted them. They took them to a local salon where their heads were partially shaved, then forced them to crawl for nearly two kilometres to Jahada village where they were allegedly forced to eat grass and consume drain water. A villager witnessing the incident informed a local leader who reached the spot to release them but demanded Rs 30,000 in return. The two victims somehow managed to escape from the spot and reached their village. They received preliminary treatment at a local hospital, and lodged a complaint with Dharakote police. However, the police were reportedly busy with VVIP duty that day, so the FIR was registered late in the night. Meanwhile, there was growing outrage regarding the incident. The next day, leaders of Dalit Mahasabha in Ganjam reached Singipur to hold a protest meeting and expressed concern over the rise in atrocities against dalits since the BJP came to power in the state. On Tuesday, Dalit Mahasabha in the district staged a demonstration near the revenue divisional commissioner's office demanding strong action against the accused. They also submitted a memorandum to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The accused have been arrested under various sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, 2023, and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Niti Shekhar, DIG southern range, told news agency PTI that the accused will be produced before a court soon. Odisha Congress forms fact-finding team Odisha Congress has formed a five-member fact-finding team, led by Rama Chandra Kadam, leader of the Congress legislature party in the state assembly, to investigate the heinous incident. Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident, saying such incidents were becoming common in BJP-ruled states. 'This incident is a mirror for those who claim that caste is no longer an issue. Every incident that tramples the dignity of Dalits is an attack on Baba Saheb's Constitution—a conspiracy against equality, justice, and humanity,' he said in a post on X. 'Such incidents are becoming common in BJP-ruled states because their politics is built on hatred and hierarchy. Atrocities against SCs, STs, and women have alarmingly increased, especially in Odisha,' he added, demanding strict punishment for the culprits. 'The country will run by the Constitution, not by Manusmriti,' he said. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also voiced concern over the brutal assault and described the incident as an "insult to Baba Saheb's Constitution and its high values of equality, justice and humanity".
New Indian Express
a day ago
- New Indian Express
Odisha: 2 dalit men beaten up, tonsured, forced to eat grass, drink drain water on cattle smuggling suspicion
BERHAMPUR: Two dalit men were brutally tortured, half tonsured, forced to eat grass and drink drain water after being falsely accused of cattle smuggling in Ganjam district. The shocking incident took place in broad daylight at Kharigumma village under Dharakote block on Sunday. Sources said the victims, Bulu Nayak (52) and Babul Nayak (43) of Singipur, purchased a cow and two calves from Haripur as part of dowry arrangement of a family's marriage ceremony and were bringing the cattle to their village on a cargo auto-rickshaw. A group of locals intercepted them at Kharigumma, accusing them of transporting cattle illegally. The group snatched their mobile phones and cash and demanded Rs 30,000 to release the animals. When the duo refused, the miscreants tied their limbs, thrashed them, partially shaved their heads at a local salon, forced them to crawl for nearly two km to Jahada village. The victims were then allegedly forced to consume grass and drain water at Jahada village chowk. Subsequently, a villager informed a local leader who reached the spot to release them but demanded `30,000 for the purpose. Despite suffering injuries on head and other parts of the body due to the assault, the two victims managed to escape from the spot and reached their village. After receiving preliminary treatment at the local hospital, they lodged a complaint with Dharakote police. However, as the police were reportedly busy with VVIP duty on Sunday, the FIR was accepted late in the night. As the news of the inhuman incident spread, leaders of Ganjam unit of Dalit Mahasabha reached Singipur and held a protest meeting on Monday. Expressing concern over rise in atrocities against dalits during the one-year rule of BJP in the state, they accused the government of failing to curb the rising lawlessness in Ganjam.
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
2 Dalit Men Forced To Crawl, Eat Grass Over Cattle Smuggling Suspicion: Odisha Police
Berhampur (Odisha): Two Dalit men in Odisha's Ganjam district were half-tonsured, assaulted and forced to crawl on their knees, made to consume grass and drink drain water on suspicion of cattle smuggling, police claimed on Monday. The incident, which occurred at Jahada in Kharigumma village under Dharakote police station limits on Sunday, has triggered widespread outrage in political and social circles after purported videos of the assault went viral. PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. The victims — Babula Nayak (54) and Bulu Nayak (42) of Singipur — were transporting two cows and a calf in an auto from Hariour to their village when they were caught by a group of self-proclaimed 'cow protectors' at Kharigumma, accusing them of smuggling cattle, police said. The mob allegedly demanded Rs 30,000 from the duo. When the victims refused, they were physically assaulted and subjected to degrading treatment, police added. "They were taken to a salon and their heads were half-tonsured," a police officer said. "They were then forced to crawl on their knees for over a kilometre, fed grass and made to drink drain water," the officer added. After managing to flee from the clutches of the mob, the victims lodged an FIR against the accused at Dharakote police station on Sunday evening. According to the victims, the cattle were meant as a traditional gift for Babula's daughter's wedding. Police on Monday detained six persons for allegedly assaulting and partially tonsuring the heads of the duo. Ganjam SP Suvendu Kumar Patra said a case was registered, and police detained at least six persons in this case. "Search was on to nab other persons involved in the case," the SP said, adding that the victims have undergone treatment at the Dharakote community health centre. Preliminary investigations suggest that the attackers' motive was not animal protection but extortion, police said. Authorities are also verifying the purpose of the cattle transport, although the victims claimed they were for personal use related to a wedding ceremony. Sangram Nayak, convenor of the Ganjam District Dalit Mahasangh, said: "We condemn this brutal caste-based violence. A statewide agitation will be launched demanding justice and stringent action against the perpetrators." Taking to X, former PCC chief Niranjan Patnaik said, "It breaks my heart to even write this. Two young Dalit men in Ganjam district were humiliated and tortured—heads half-shaved, forced to crawl 2 km, made to eat grass and drink sewage water. And for what? Just for buying a cow for their daughter's wedding. Hate has been normalised. Caste violence is rising. And in Odisha, justice feels distant, almost invisible. Why is our Chief Minister @MohanMOdisha silent?'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Cops detain 6 for assaulting 2 dalits over cattle smuggling suspicion
Berhampur: Police on Monday detained six persons for allegedly assaulting and partially tonsuring the heads of two dalit persons, suspecting them to be cattle smugglers near Jahada under Ganjam district's Dharakote police limits on Sunday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The victims were identified as Babula Nayak (45) and Bulu Nayak (35) of Singipur. The victims were travelling in an auto-rickhshaw with two cows and a calf from Haripur to Singipur when a group of youths detained them at Khariguma village, accusing them of being cow smugglers. They demanded Rs 30,000 from them. When the victims did not pay, the accused assaulted them and partially shaved their heads. The accused also forced them to crawl on their knees for over one km from Kharigumma to Jahada and allegedly made them eat grass and drink drain water. The video of them crawling on their knees on the road went viral on social media. After escaping from their clutches, the victims lodged an FIR against the accused at Dharakote police station on Sunday evening. "A search is on to nab other persons involved in the case. The victims underwent treatment at the community health centre at Dharakote," said SP (Ganjam) Suvendu Kumar Patra. The accused persons, however, did not attack the vehicle driver, sources said. Citing preliminary investigation, police said the main intention of the accused was likely extortion in the name of cow smuggling. Police said they would also investigate the exact purpose of the transportation of cattle by the victims, even though they procured the animals for their personal use.
