Dalit woman stripped, son killed by mob in MP

The sister of a Dalit youth, who was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district, on Monday claimed her mother was also stripped by the accused during the incident, but police did not register a report in that connection.

Asked about her allegation, a police official said there is no mention of it in the FIR, lodged following a complaint by the youth's family after his death.

A Congress delegation on Monday met the family of the Dalit youth, who was allegedly beaten to death last Thursday by a group of people over an old enmity.

During the interaction, the deceased's sister alleged her mother was also stripped by the accused during the incident, but the police were "speaking lies and did not file a report in that connection".

A delegation headed by Congress national secretary CP Mittal met the deceased's family members who alleged the police were "not working in a fair manner," MP Congress media department's chairman KK Mishra claimed while talking to PTI.

Mishra further claimed the police were not taking action due to "political pressure of state Urban Development Minister Bhupendra Singh," who is the MLA from Khurai assembly segment, where the incident took place.

The mother of the deceased was also stripped by the accused who murdered the youth, he alleged.

Asked about this, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjeev Uikey said, "There is no mention of it in the FIR."

The deceased, Nitin Ahirwar aka Lalu, in the age group of 18 to 20 years and a resident of Barodia Nonagir village under Khurai Dehat (rural) police station limits, was beaten up on Thursday.

The police then registered a case against nine identified and three-four unidentified persons under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 307 (attempt to murder), Uikey earlier said.

The youth died when he was being taken for treatment to a hospital in Sagar, following which IPC section 302 (murder) and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were added, he said.

The ASP on Sunday said according to police records, the deceased was facing seven cases of extortion, beating and theft.

The alleged incident occurred due to an old enmity, he said, adding that eight accused have been arrested and search for others is underway.

Talking to reporters earlier, the deceased's sister had alleged her brother was mercilessly beaten to death as some persons were pressuring her for a compromise in an old case of harassment.

Asked about this, ASP Uikey on Sunday said the deceased's sister filed a complaint in 2019 against four persons, following which a case on charges of threatening and beating was registered and all the four accused were arrested. The case is sub-judice, he added.

The opposition Congress and as well as the Bahujan Samaj Party have hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the incident.

The ruling BJP, however, said action was promptly taken in the case.