Dalits thrashed for skinning dead cow near crematorium in Gujarat

A Dalit man and his mother were thrashed allegedly by a group of 15 ‘upper caste’ men for skinning a dead cow near a crematorium at a village in Anand district of Gujarat, instead of the place where cattle are disposed of, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place almost a year after four Dalit men were allegedly beaten up by cow vigilantes at Una town in Gir-Somnath district, triggering an uproar across the country.

According to the FIR lodged on Monday in connection with the incident that took place in Kasor village of Sojitra taluka, around 15 men from Rajput community thrashed the 22-year-old man and his 45-year-old mother on Saturday night, while accusing them of defying the rules for skinning the dead cattle.

In his complaint lodged with the Sojitra police, the victim alleged that around 15 Rajput men, all from Kasor, stormed into his residence on Saturday night and started verbally abusing him and his mother by referring to their caste.

When he protested, the mob allegedly thrashed the duo and threatened them with dire consequences, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Khambhat division, D D Damor said.

“It all started on August 11, when the victim brought a dead cow for skinning from a nearby village. Instead of the designated place, he started skinning it near the rematorium. When some locals raised the issue with the sarpanch, he asked the victim to take the cow at the allotted place,” he said.

“Though the victim agreed to follow the rules next time, one of the accused entered into a heated altercation with him over the issue. Later, on August 12, around 15 men allegedly attacked the man and his mother outside their home,” the police officer said.

The Sojitra police lodged the FIR under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

No arrest has been made so far, Damor said. 

Both the victims have been provided round-the-clock security by the police, he added.