Assaulted for 'wearing clothes similar to' upper-caste men, Dalit youth dies by suicide in Gujarat

Ahmedabad: A 19-year-old Dalit youth from Banaskantha district allegedly died by suicide after being assaulted and humiliated by five men from an upper-caste community for "wearing clothes similar to theirs."

The victim, identified as Mahendra Kalabhai Parmar, was a resident of Vasarda village in Vav taluka. He went missing on July 10, and his body was recovered two days later from a village well on July 12.

According to the FIR filed at Vav police station by Mahendra’s uncle, Bijalbhai Parmar, the victim was allegedly beaten and insulted near the village panchayat office by five men named in the FIR as Khetabhai Rabari, Sendhabhai Rabari, Rudabhai Rabari, Amrabhai Rabari, and Lakhabhai Rabari.

The complaint alleges that the accused objected to Mahendra wearing clothes typically worn by members of their community. The humiliation and assault, the family claims, pushed Mahendra to end his life by jumping into the well.

The police have registered a case against the five accused under relevant sections, including provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) act.

Rabaris are largely a pastoral community who are categorised as Other Backward Caste.