Harassed, member of Pardhi community kills himself

Upset over a case of dacoity filed against his mother which he thought was false and casteist slurs, a 38-year-old man from the Pardhi tribe committed suicide at Hingoli in Marathwada region of Maharashtra.

Before killing himself, Dilip Waman Pawar, the victim, shot a video on his cell phone in which he narrated his reasons for suicide. The video went viral on social media.

Pawar allegedly hanged himself from a tree in front of his house in Kalgaon Shivar area of Hingoli on January 6.

Pawar, a contract farmer who leased land from others for cultivating, was allegedly being harassed by some local persons, said a police officer.

The Pardhi community was once branded as `criminal' by the British. After Independence this classification was abolished, but the community leaders complain that it still carries the stigma and faces discrimination.

Some local men had accosted Pawar a few days ago and accused his parents of stealing farm produce, the police officer said.

An offence of `dacoity' under section 395 of the Indian Penal Code was also registered against Pawar's parents, and his mother was arrested.

According to Pawar, it was a false case, and upset over all this, he tried to end his life on January 6 first by consuming poison. He recorded his statement in a video on his cell phone.

However, he survived the attempt. A few hours later, he hanged himself, the police officer said.

"We have registered a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and abetment of suicide against 11 persons," he said.