Police arrest two for attack on Dalit boy

The Gujarat Police on Saturday arrested two persons, even as it is on the lookout for two others, in the case of beating up of a 15-year-old Dalit boy for dressing like an upper caste person in Becharaji near Mehsana in North Gujarat on Wednesday.

"Two of the four accused have been arrested and we hope to arrest the remaining two named in the complaint," Shivanand Jha, DGP (Gujarat) said.

"Two mobiles have also been seized and would be investigated," he said.

Mahesh Valmiki, a resident of Vithlapur village in Mandal taluka of Ahmedabad district was beaten up by Darbar youths (Rajputs) for wearing a gold chain, a mojri (a traditional shoe), dressed up like upper-caste persons and claiming to belong to the Darbar community.

The upper-caste youngsters continued to beat the boy even after he fell at their feet and sought forgiveness. The case was registered after a video of the incident went viral.

A complaint was later filed by one Purushottam Ganpatbhai at Bechraji police station after being persuaded by social workers.

The four named in the FIR include key accused Bharatsinh Bhimsinh Darbar, Jaydeepsinh Banesinh Darbar, Solanki Darbar Cheharsinh Sunsang and Govind alias Yogeshwarsinh Kuberbha Darbar.

The four were booked under several clauses of IPC and the SC/ST Atrocities Act. Of these, Jaydeepsinh and Cheharsinh have been arrested.

"The district collector (H K Patel) and Superintendent of Police (Chaiten Mandalik) met up with the father of the victim and paid an immediate compensation of Rs 50,000. The remainder of Rs 1.5 lakh would be paid immediately after the chargesheet is filed," Jha said, adding that the family will be given police protection till they require it.

The police had formed 14 teams to nab the culprits and will seek the appointment of a special public prosecutor and run the case on a fastrack basis in the courts.

Talking about the rising number of cases of attacks against Dalits and their videos going viral, the DGP said that they would also initiate investigation and legal action against those making these videos viral.

"If somebody has made it viral to mischievously increase the chasm between two communities, then we are thinking of initiating action against such persons under sections of IT Act," Jha said.

"Even if the perpetrators are from outside Gujarat, we shall nab them and bring them to justice," he said.