Kopardi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district saw tension following the suicide of a Dalit man on Thursday afternoon, The Indian Express reported on Saturday.
The deceased, identified as Vitthal alias Nitin Kantilal Shinde (37), reportedly ended his life after allegedly being stripped and assaulted by several upper-caste men for participating in a Tamasha, a local folk art event in the village.
According to the report, Vitthal, a member of the Hindu Mahar Dalit community, was allegedly targeted by individuals from the upper-caste Maratha community.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by Vitthal's father, Kantilal (60), the confrontation occurred on the night of May 1 during the Tamasha event. Allegedly, the accused, identified as Banti Babasaheb Sudrik, Swapnil Baban Sudrik, and Vaibhav Madhukar Sudrik, made derogatory remarks about Vitthal's caste before subjecting him to physical assault. The FIR further detailed that Vitthal was taken to a cremation ground where he was forced to strip and subjected to further violence while naked.
Per The Express report, Vitthal returned home and recounted the incident to his family, expressing feelings of humiliation and a stating that he wanted to end his life. The next day, before he took his own life, he left behind a brief note implicating two of the accused.
The police have initiated legal proceedings against the suspects under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. While two of the accused have been apprehended, efforts are ongoing to locate the third.
The report also notes that Vitthal's family members have staged a protest, demanding the arrest of all accused before accepting his body. Vitthal is survived by his parents, wife, and two sons.
Published 04 May 2024, 11:37 IST